India accuses Pakistan of double standards

Vajpayee inspects the Indian guard of honor before his address to the nation

NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- In an Independence Day address to the nation, India's leader has accused Pakistan of having double standards on terrorism -- his strongest words against his arch-rival and neighbor since the two pulled back from the brink of war in June.

In a speech marking the 55th anniversary of the end of British rule and under a heavy blanket of security, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on Thursday called for Islamabad to end its support of militants, also adding that the disputed region Kashmir is an integral part of India and will remain so.

Accusing Islamabad of "sponsoring cross-border terrorism," India's leader also took issue with statements made by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf during his country's independence celebrations a day earlier.

In a live televised address, Musharraf mocked India's plans to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir state, and accused New Delhi of using the polls as a way to firm-up what he called the illegal occupation of the disputed region. (Full story)

Vajpayee delivered his speech from behind a bullet-proof screen in New Delhi amidst some of the tightest security seen in recent memory.

CNN NewsPass VIDEO CNN's Satinder Bindra reports that while India is urging Kashmiris to vote in an upcoming election, Pakistan says the polls will be rigged. Play video   GALLERY India celebrates Independence Day    MORE STORIES • Pakistan vows to crush militancy  • Weekend Kashmir clashes kill 10  • Kashmir militants launch grenade attack    IN-DEPTH India and Pakistan: South Asia power play     CNN.com Asia More news from our Asia edition

Forces guarded major roads and government buildings, including the historic 17th-century Red Fort, to guard against threats of Islamic militant attacks, while air traffic was briefly suspended. (Gallery)

Authorities are especially wary of militants, who in the past have tried to disrupt Independence Day celebrations in the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir.

Islamic militants, many of them from Pakistan, have been waging a deadly separatist movement in Kashmir since 1989. Tens of thousands have died in the insurgency.

'Double standards'

India has long accused Pakistan of sponsoring "cross-border terrorism" by sending militants into Indian-controlled Kashmir to join a revolt against New Delhi's rule there. A recent spate of attacks, including a suicide raid on India's parliament in December, led the two nuclear neighbors to the brink of war earlier this year.

While New Delhi accuses Islamabad of arming and funding the guerrillas, Pakistan denies the charges but proclaims support of their freedom movement.

India and Pakistan have twice gone to war over Kashmir, which is divided between the two. Both nations claim the mostly Muslim enclave in its entirety.

But as the five-decades old spat showed little signs of easing, Vajpayee said on Thursday that Islamic militants were continuing to infiltrate into Indian Kashmir.

"Our neighbor claims to be in the global fight against terrorism, but it has double standards in this respect," said Vajpayee. "It could not take Kashmir with war, so it started aiding cross-border terrorism."

'Demolish propaganda'

India's leader delivered his adress amidst some of the tightest security in recent memory

India's leader also used the day to focus on forthcoming elections in Kashmir.

"I appeal to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to participate actively and in large numbers in the elections and thereby demolish the motivated propaganda being conducted from across the border," said Vajpayee.

In a stinging rebuke, Vajpayee not only blamed Pakistan for trying to derail the elections, but also said Musharraf is clinging on to power after rigging his own presidential referendum.

"Those who call the forthcoming elections in the state farcical should not give us lectures on democracy. Let them take a look at their own track record.''

Musharraf took power in a bloodless coup in October 1999.

Yet to be convinced

With just weeks to go before the Kashmir polls, India is trying to cajole separatist leaders to join the election process.

But one separatist leader says an election can never be a substitute for a plebiscite to give the people of Kashmir the right to either stay with India or join Pakistan.

"Do not talk in terms of elections, address human rights violations, address the orphans, address the widows, address the people who do not sleep," said Kashmiri separatist, Abdul Ghani Bhatt.

Pakistan too accuses Indian troops of human rights violations in Kashmir and wants India to hold a plebiscite.

But India has so far ruled that out.

With both countries unwilling to offer any concessions, analysts say it is unlikely the neighbors will sit down soon to resolve their differences, which arose with the partition of British-ruled India into independent India and Pakistan in 1947.

Washington, though, is continuing to push for a dialogue and its diplomacy gets into high gear next week when the deputy secretary of state is scheduled to visit the region.

-- CNN New Delhi chief Satinder Bindra contributed to this report