7 parties form united front

SRINAGAR: With Lok Sabha and Assembly polls due next year, several small mainstream political outfits on Wednesday floated People’s United Front (PUF), a ‘Third Front’ meant to provide alternative voice to the people of the state.

The front was launched at a public rally organised by the constituent parties at Sher-e-Kashmir Municipal Park in Srinagar.

Addressing the gathering, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami CPI (M) State Secretary observed that several political leaders have pledged to work jointly and have reached to a consensus that now onwards they will work under the banner of “Peoples United Front” (PUF). 

Tarigami said that efforts will be made to further strengthen PUF. “We know our efforts are inadequate to the challenge in front of us but nevertheless it is a humble beginning from our side to work for our people. In future we will also try to seek support from certain civil society groups, intellectuals and political leaders to strengthen this Front so that people get some sort of relief in their daily lives,” he added.

He appealed people not to misconstrue PUF as an alternative political force which is in search of power. “People of this state are confronted with many grave issues including corruption, misgovernance, political unrest, poor development, unemployment. We won’t claim of having any magic wand to change this scenario within a jiffy, but we will seek peoples support for alternative policies which can bring some change. This is what, we pledge to work for,” he observed. 

He urged the leadership of India-Pakistan to jointly work for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan which will prove to be beneficial for both the countries especially for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Tarigami said the USA’s exit from Afghanistan in next year will provide a chance to India and Pakistan to show statesmanship in course correction and to strengthen their strained relations. 

He also criticized the deliberate erosion in credibility of institutions like Legislative Assembly saying the fate of the resolutions passed in the House is known to one and all here in the state and the country. “The government of India promised return of power projects but what happened to those promises is known to all. The rest of damage was done by the retired general who leveled serious but allegations against political mainstream of the state. We have already demanded a thorough probe into these allegations failing which the government of India cannot blame people of Kashmir for any negative consequences,” he added.

Tarigami also expressed concern over the escalation on borders saying that war being no option, the two countries must work for cessation of hostilities as soon as possible. “The families living near borders are the worst victims of these border skirmishes and the tension on borders have a direct bearing on the people of the state and the two countries,” he observed.

In his address, Hakim Mohammad Yasin president PDF and MLA, expressed serious concern over the prevailing socio-economic and political situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Yasin termed efforts seeking political stability development and dignified future should be endeavour of the political leadership.

He said that unfortunately, in past the people of Kashmir have all along been exploited by political forces for their vote banks. “Time has come when the people should realize that such forces have always been interested in their own benefits. Let me also inform those political forces as well that times have gone when you were befooling people with hollow political and emotional slogans. Now people judge you by your performance.”

President PDF observed that double standards adopted by different political parties is responsible for the prevailing mess in the state. “Had these political forces worked fairly calling spade a spade, things would have been entirely different in this state. But these political forces never tried to portray a real picture in front of people instead they have always been indulging in taking people in an ideal world.”

Abdul Rashid Kabuli, former Member Parliament while addressing the meeting highlighted the sufferings of people saying that India and Pakistan can no longer delay the resolution of the vexed Kashmir issue. “People here cannot tolerate anymore sufferings. Time has come when India and Pakistan should sit and resolve this issue by taking peoples aspirations into consideration. People of the state are primary stakeholders of this issue and should be taken on board. Now the leadership of India and Pakistan are talking peace, we the people of Jammu and Kashmir wish them success in their peaceful endevours.”

Kabuli said that a significant number of people in the state have been killed and hundreds of youth have been detained, tortured and tormented during the ongoing conflict. “Time has come when we should work to make Indi and Pakistan understand the need for dialogue and resolution of this long pending issue,” he added. 

Sheikh Abdul Rehman former MP and state president Samajwadi Party in his speech criticized Congress and BJP saying both the parties have caused huge damage to the country in terms of mal practices, corruption and communal disharmony. He said CAF findings have exposed the Congress style of working and how the party is neck deep in corruption.

“While Congress is neck deep in corruption the BJP is surviving on communal frenzy. However, both the parties are being funded by corporate houses who have large stakes in country’s economy,” he added.

Sanjay Saraf, Lok Janshakti Party leader observed lamented that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah being a young leader; nothing tangible was done for the unemployed youth of the state.  “People had expected a lot from this young man but he proved to be failure. What his government did is evident from that fact that over a 100 youth were killed in 2010 out of which not a single case has reached to any logical conclusion.”

Similarly, Saraf said that the youth of the state are being fed with drugs to benefit the vested interests who use our youth for their vote bank politics.

Abdul Rehman Tukru state secretary CPI also addressed the meeting. In his speech, Tukru said that it is the common people of the state who bear the brunt of the faulty policies of the state and the central government. “We witnesses the common people are being pushed from pillar to post for their genuine issues. What type of policy it is that peasants, who are our backbone, are being neglected to the hilt?”

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