Srinagar, May 5: Rejecting the Government of India’s “viewpoint” on the autonomy parameters by Justice Saghir panel on the centre-state relations, the National Conference Wednesday said New Delhi stands committed for “anything less than Azadi and it is nothing but autonomy.”
“We had discussed the autonomy proposal with Saghir committee. 
 It has been passed by the state legislature and is the ideology of the National Conference. The Saghir committee has stated in its report that autonomy and its demand can be examined,” said senior NC leader Ali Muhammad Sagar.
 Minister of State for Home government of India had earlier today told Rajya Sabha that the report has not recommended or mentioned “parameters” for autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir and instead a reference to the demand for autonomy has been made.
 “What if the minister made the statement in the Rajya Sabha? Let the statement on the autonomy come from worthy Prime Minister,” Sagar said.
 The “only ray of hope” to resolve the Kashmir issue was autonomy, asserted Sagar who is also the Law and Parliamentary Affairs minister in the National Conference-Congress coalition government.
 In its report Justice Saghir had recommended that “autonomy and its demand can be examined in the light of the Kashmir accord or in some other manner or on the basis of some other formula as the prime minister may deem appropriate so as to restore autonomy to the extent possible.”
 “Government of India has to respond to the Saghir committee report. There is no solution other than autonomy, which is well within the constitution of India. Government has repeatedly stated that sky was the limit and anything less than Azadi was acceptable. Anything short of Azadi is autonomy,” Sagar said.
 The latest statement from the union minister on the autonomy is likely to once again start the debate afresh on the report.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 5 May 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 5 May 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 6 May 2010 00:00:00 IST