Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 25: Ahead of the forthcoming Parliamentary and Assembly elections, leaders of several political parties and groups today held a meeting in Srinagar paving way for formation of what is being called Third Front in Kashmir.
Several politicians and political groups were trying for past several years to provide another regional political alternative in Kashmir apart from National Conference and People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Sources said that the group is having blessings of some Congress leaders to help Congress in the formation of next Government in the State as Central party is eyeing on atleast 35 seats in the forthcoming Assembly elections.
The meeting was attended by CPI (M) State Secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, President PDF Hakim Mohammad Yasin, former MP Sheikh Abdul Rehman and state president Samajwadi Party, Awami National Conference senior vice president Muzaffar Shah, former MP and president JKNDF Abdul Rashid Kabuli, president International Democratic Party ID Khajuria, state secretary CPI Abdul Rehman Tukru and youth president Lok Janshakti Party Sanjay Saraf.
These leaders are also trying to rope in Sajjad Lone of People’s Conference and MLA Engineer Rashid of Awami Itihad.
A joint statement issued by these leaders said the leadership of India and Pakistan need to exhibit statesmanship to find out an acceptable solution to all the outstanding issues including Kashmir.
“India and Pakistan cannot afford to continue with the present hostile atmosphere and for this alternative solutions are to be looked into. It is our firm belief that only a sustained, meaningful dialogue can lead the two countries towards that goal,” they said while holding a meeting here.
Political uncertainty and turmoil has cast a huge impact all these years on the people of Kashmir and holding Round Table Conferences, appointing interlocutors and then sleeping over their recommendations have virtually eroded the credibility of the political process in Jammu and Kashmir, the politicians said in a meeting here.
They said the denial of political rights and broken promises by the Government of India and shrinking of democratic space and economic deprivation has led to dejection and disappointment among the people of Kashmir.
“People of the State have been facing deprivation of political rights, transparency, accountability, effective and participatory governance, and irresponsive administration, price rise, corruption, ever increasing unemployment, malpractices, favoritism, lack of accountability and delayed justice have dented the image of political process.”
Over the recent killings in Gool and Shopian, the politicians said a serious approach and appraisal and any attempt to adopt casual and insensitive approach can only precipitate the crisis further.
“Instead of prosecuting the guilty, administration is only relying on curfews and indiscriminate arrests of youth.”
On employment, they said, despite having a huge number of vacancies in different Government Departments, the successive Governments here have not been able to create and tap employment opportunities and rise up to the expectation of the people.
They also appealed to all political, social organizations, civil society groups, intelligentsia, academicians and particularly the youth to come forward so that a broader platform for struggle was evolved for alternative policies.
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