Srinagar, May 2: People’s Democratic Party has passed a key resolution which has called for a democratic approach towards resolving J&K’s issues and the importance of SAARC in helping establish durable peace in the South Asian region.
Below is the abridged version of the resolution:
“This joint meeting of the political affairs committee (PAC) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP),
senior leaders, office bearers, members of district development boards (DDC) and youth leaders is
being held in a very extraordinary situation even by the standards of our dismembered state. The residents of J&K are faced with an existential threat as a distinct political, cultural, ethnic and religious collage that just three years back was a true jewel of the crown for our multicultural,
multi-religious, democratic country.
Special settlements are being constructed for
outsiders as the local population is evicted from their homes and lands their forefathers owned
and tilled down the generations. An economic disempowerment is being executed by bringing in
contractors from outside like the East India Company once did and looting state’
resources from water to sand. The plains of Jammu province, including Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur and Reasi are right now getting swamped by the floodgates opened by scrapping the
state, its constitution, and special status granted by the constitution of India as a guarantee
against what is happening here over the past 4 years. The protagonists of accession to a secular,
democratic India rejected the two nation theory on the solemn pledge of Indian leadership that
was included in the constitution under Articles 370 and 35A. This special position as it turned out
soon after August 5, 2019 was a source of dignity and comfort not just for the people of the state
but had it’s positive impact for the entire region.
This meeting resolves to renew its pledge to fight peacefully and democratically for restoration of J&K’s constitutional rights. We believe that in absence of our fundamental rights
enshrined in the constitution any claims of normalcy or acceptance of status quo by the people are a blatant lie repeated over and over again by the government and its embedded media.
Resumption of trade and travel should be prioritised along with the restoration of state’s
constitutional status.
PDP believes there are no short cuts to a lasting peace in the state and region as is evidenced by
the complete flop of muscular policies adopted in the last 5 years of
direct rule, the process has to be led by the people and aided by our government and Pakistan.
While forums like SCO and G20 are important for their diplomatic value, the PDP believes it’s the
SAARC that has the potential for changing the lives of the largest mass of poverty stricken people
inhabiting South Asia. We call upon our national leadership to rise above its domestic political
engagement, that’s exclusively aimed at election campaigns, and acquire for India its natural leadership role in South Asia. It’s in the revival of SAARC and establishment of lasting peace with
dignity in J&K that India can genuinely become a vishwaguru and lead its own economic revival
along with its neighbours and rest of the world.
The rampant corruption, inefficiency, lack of accountability and inherent bias in the administration
are impeding progress of the state that was promised as a quid pro quo for our collective
humiliation of August 5. While it’s making life more difficult for everyone, youth again are the main
sufferers. Corruption in system has resulted in almost zero recruitment in government
departments with most selections getting cancelled. Touts from outside the state and even
members of uniformed services have been found responsible. More people have been thrown out
of government jobs on communal considerations than recruited over the last 5 years.
The party reiterates its commitment towards making every effort to facilitate and ensure dignified return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri pandit migrants and condemns the violence perpetrated
selectively against them. We believe the socio cultural structure of Kashmir will remain incomplete
without their dignified return to their homes.
PDP pays its tribute to our brothers and sisters in Ladakh region for their united struggle. As we extend our best wishes to them in their fight
for justice and democracy there is a lot that people of Jammu and Kashmir regions can take away
from their ability to rise above considerations of religion or region for a bigger cause.
This meeting reiterates its full confidence in the leadership of our president and conviction in the
roadmap for resolution of problems of J&K laid down by our late founder and patron Mufti
Mohammad Sayeed.”
