New political front on cards with focus on domicile rights
Another split in PDP on Mufti’s 4th death anniversary
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 7: In first major political activity in Kashmir post August 5 abrogation of special Constitutional provisions of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcation of the State into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh, eight former legislators including three ex-Ministers today met Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu at Raj Bhawan here this afternoon and submitted him a memorandum listing their demands which included restoration of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, safeguarding rights of the people over land and jobs, release of detainees, withdrawal of cases against youth etc.
The delegation comprised Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, former Finance Minister, Ghulam Hassan Mir and Mohammad Dillawar Mir, also both former Ministers, Zaffar Iqbal, former MLC, Javed Hassan Beig, Noor Mohammad Sheikh, Choudhary Qamar Hussain and Raja Manzoor Ahmed, all former MLAs.
Qamar was former MLA from Poonch and belonged to Jammu region while rest seven leaders hailed from the Kashmir Valley.
Significantly, seven of them were directly affiliated with the PDP presently while Ghulam Hassan Mir was part of the PDP till 2008 when he parted ways with the party and floated his own political party—Democratic Party Nationalist (DPN).
While the PDP had split even before August 5 after fall of the PDP-BJP Government in June 2018 with many party leaders revolting against party president Mehbooba Mufti, the meeting of seven prominent PDP leaders with the Lieutenant Governor and coming up with new demands is being seen by the political observers as another major split in the PDP especially at a time when Mehbooba has been detained by the Government for past over five months.
While Mehbooba’s daughter Iltija Mufti, who was operating her mother’s twitter account, has taken very hard stand against abrogation of Article 370 and converting Jammu and Kashmir State into the Union Territory, the memorandum submitted by the PDP leaders to the Lieutenant Governor had no mention of restoration of Article 370 though it called for return of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Moreover, the virtual split comes on the day of fourth death anniversary of PDP patriarch Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
Though veteran PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig didn’t accompany the delegation, sources indicated that the new group has his blessings as his nephew and former PDP MLA from Baramulla Javed Hussain Baig was part of the delegation.
After meeting the Lieutenant Governor, Altaf Bukhari told the Excelsior on telephone that they focused on the demands including restoration of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, domicile rights on land and jobs for the people of J&K, release of all political detenues lodged both within and outside the UT, release of youth and withdrawal of cases against them, revival of agriculture, horticulture and tourism sectors, industry and restoration of Jammu and Kashmir Bank’s Functional Dominion.
The meeting, according to sources, lasted about one and a half hours and all eight members of the delegation raised their issues individually.
Describing the meeting of eight senior political leaders with the Lieutenant Governor as “very significant political development’’, political observers asserted that this was clear indication of resumption of political activities in Kashmir, which had come to halt (except the BJP meetings) as majority of leadership of NC, PDP and some small groups was under detention since August 5 i.e. for over five months now.
“The political leadership of Kashmir, which had not been detained or released after detention, was not coming forward for meetings. Today’s meeting of eight prominent political leaders with Murmu was first major political activity amidst indications that this will be followed by more such activities,’’ the observers said.
Meanwhile, reliable sources said, a new political front is emerging in Jammu and Kashmir which will comprise leaders from all major political parties as well as smaller groups with core agenda of domicile rights over land and jobs. The front will comprise many former Ministers, ex-legislators and other prominent political and social personalities.
The front was likely to be headed by Altaf Bukhari, a prominent political leader and former Finance Minister in Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP Government and formal announcement to this effect could be made in the next few days, reliable sources told the Excelsior and said final touches are being given to the new front including its name and issues on which it will be floated. However, core agenda of the political party will remain domicile rights for the people of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for land and jobs.
There was no official confirmation of the new political party by any of the leaders but, according to sources, over 50 prominent political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir were in touch with each other to join the party. They comprised the leaders from various major as well as smaller political parties.
The delegation, which met the Lieutenant Governor today, submitted him a 15-point memorandum to Murmu.
The memorandum said to win over the confidence of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the Centre will have to re-examine its decades old policies vis-à-vis Kashmir and allay the apprehensions among people in a just and humane manner.
Depending solely on security measures and dealing with peoples’ political aspirations through the law and order prism will always have its old tested repercussions, it said.
“Since the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status embedded in Article 370 of the Indian constitution and bifurcation of the State into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir with a Legislature and Ladakh without one – the majority of its residents are yet to reconcile with this decision,” the memorandum reads.
“For the residents of J&K, the issue of statehood holds more emotional importance than legal. Statehood for these people is solidification of the idea of pluralism and respectful coexistence,” it said.
“In view of keeping the pluralistic ethos and diversity intact, it is more than essential that restoration of statehood to J&K is considered as an immediate requirement for keeping up the spirit of coexistence and allowing this mosaic to continue to shine in this part of the country.
“We demand restoration of Statehood including establishment of a Legislative Council and in providing thereto reservation of seats for socially and Economically Backward Classes, art and culture, languages, literature and sports,” it said.
The memorandum said that economic development can be ensured only if there is normalcy and stability in the region.
“It is the assurances given under that Article and the erosion of special privileges that created the situation in the Valley over the past three decades,” it said.
The delegation also demanded the restoration of J&K Bank’s functional dominion, reviving agriculture and horticulture sectors, support for industry and manufacturing sector, tourism and allied industries and their revival.
“People of Jammu and Kashmir have always seen J&K Bank as a repository of trust and confidence of their economic interests. But unfortunately this trust and confidence seems to have been shaken for the last few years,” it said.
“Not only its control over financial matters but its overall functioning has been unnecessarily put to a question mark,” it added.
On the issue of safeguarding rights over land and jobs, the memorandum said that the abrogation of Article 370 and, in particular, annulling Article 35A on account of being “discriminatory against non-permanent residents and women of Jammu and Kashmir” and it being “an obstacle in the development of the State” has outstanding issues.
“This most important issue can be addressed by tangible legal and Constitutional safeguards that can be put in place by virtue of which protection of domicile rights including that of reservation for the permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir in the matter of employment and that of admissions to professional courses is ensured,” it said.
The memorandum said that a blend of models like Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and parts of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh can provide solution for protection of these rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The memorandum also demanded the release of political detainees and said that one of the psychological setbacks to a number of people in Kashmir is that their near and dear ones were detained.
“These people were not arrested for committing any violation of law, but were preventive detentions vis-à-vis law and order situation. Now that the life has almost returned to normal, it is a genuine demand that these detainees should be immediately shifted from jails across the country to Jammu and Kashmir and subsequently released,” it said.
The leaders further said that cases against youth (mostly teenagers), who were detained under different FIRs by the police in the summer of 2016 be withdrawn on compassionate grounds.
Some of these youth have got jobs in the police and Army but are being denied a character certificates as there are pending cases against them.
“It is requested to withdraw cases against such youth on compassionate grounds and support them integrate into the society”, it said.
The delegation said it was heartening to see that the Kashmir Valley remained peaceful and no fatalities were recorded due to enhanced security measures but the credit must also go to the people of Jammu and Kashmir who showed extreme maturity while registering peaceful protests.
“Fact of the matter is that a majority of people in Jammu and Kashmir feel hurt and there are vocal concerns wherein they feel their decades-long privileges were unceremoniously curtailed,” it added.
An official handout issued by the Union Territory Government said the meeting of former legislators and politicians with the Lieutenant Governor assumed significance as it has initiated the political process and dialogue with the members of mainstream political parties of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
“The Lieutenant Governor while interacting with members of the delegation appreciated their view points and concerns and conveyed that the Government is committed to safeguard rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and particularly assured them that the provisions will be made for protecting land of locals and employment avenues in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,’’ the handout said.
It added that Murmu assured the delegation that administration at all levels will be sensitized to hear grievances, coordinate with popular leaders, address issues and carry out developmental activities in right earnest.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
