PDP resolves for restoration of special status to J&K
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Dec 14: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti today accused the National Conference (NC) of lacking courage to pursue for lost rights of people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Mufti told a press conference after chairing a crucial party meeting of the party that despite having 50 members in the Legislative Assembly and three members of Parliament, NC is doing least in what she termed “restoration of lost rights” of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
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The PDP chief accused the NC of lacking the courage to fight for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s rights. “Even today, with 50 seats and three Members of Parliament, they lack the courage to take back the snatched rights of the people. What can I do? We only had 16 seats when the BJP was in power in Delhi, but we still followed our own agenda. Later, when we had 28 seats, we continued to push our agenda, even in alliance with the BJP. Today, despite having 50 seats, what have they done?” she asked.
“The situation of Kashmir and our party is the same. Kashmir is going through a difficult time, and so is our party. The PDP came into existence to tackle tough times. In 1999, a particular party had over 60 MLAs and a minister at the Centre. But the situation in Kashmir back then was addressed by the PDP. We protested against the excesses, even when it seemed impossible,” she said. Click here to watch video
Mufti said that she does not know what commitments the NC leaders were given by the BJP led Centre. “Commitments were made even back then when Farooq, Omar and Hasnain Masoodi met with the Prime Minister in August 2019, a day before the abrogation of Article 370. They were assured that nothing would be done to alter it. Omar and Farooq told people that the Prime Minister had assured them that Article 370 would remain intact. However, the way Article 370 was abrogated afterward exposed the hollowness of those assurances,” she said.
On the much hyped ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, the PDP president expressed strong disapproval, stating that the NDA Government is “systematically eroding the Constitution of India.” “This Constitution makes India a federal country with a federal structure. But when you talk about ‘One Nation, One Election,’ you are undermining this federal structure. They claim they are looking toward 2047, but instead, they are regressing to the time when the country first gained independence, when ‘One Nation, One Election’ was practiced. Since then, power has been gradually distributed across regions, creating a federal structure. Now they want to take us back to that era of dictatorship, which I believe is entirely wrong.”
Earlier, the PDP General Council vowed to continue its peaceful, democratic struggle for the restoration of the special status to J&K.
In a resolution passed after the meeting, the party resolved to “reinvigorate our struggle for peace with dignity for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, using all democratic and Constitutional methods to resolve the Kashmir issue, including the restoration of the special status that was enjoyed by our people until August 5, 2019, under the Constitution of India.”
The party acknowledged the outcome of the recent Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections and said that while the PDP’s performance fell short of expectations, the party expressed confidence in its elected representatives to articulate the concerns and aspirations of the people.
The PDP urged the Union Government to address the “disempowerment, deprivation, and humiliation” caused by what it termed the unconstitutional revocation of Article 370.
The PDP resolution hoped that the ruling National Conference Government would act in accordance with the significant mandate and trust placed in their manifesto and commitments.
However, the Council noted that the new Government’s initial actions had not fully met expectations and urged it to effectively address the people’s needs.
“However, we note that the initial actions of the current government have not fully met these expectations. We urge the J&K government to recognize the mandate’s true essence and lead effectively,” the PDP resolution read.
The PDP emphasized the need for the government to address pressing issues, including electricity shortages, rising unemployment, the drug crisis, and the release of prisoners. It also raised concerns about the overexploitation of natural resources, which it warned was causing irreversible damage to the environment and ecology.
The PDP resolution also called for a review of the status of political prisoners held in various jails across India. It demanded the release of individuals held on weak or non-existent charges and urged authorities to transfer prisoners back to Jammu and Kashmir.
The resolution also voiced deep concern over the increasing climate of hatred against Muslims in India.
The party urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi “to leverage his influence to curb violence, dispel false narratives, and halt the targeting of Muslims through what we perceive as judicial overreach.”
Reiterating its belief in India’s diversity, the PDP called for mutual respect and the protection of individual rights and freedoms.
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