Srinagar: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday termed decision of 5 August 2019 and beyond by the government of India as “illegal and unconstitutional”, saying such actions have only added to the complexities of J&K issue and those with full faith in the country’s democratic and constitutional mechanism feel “betrayed”.
“Illegal and unconstitutional actions of August 5 and beyond have only added to the complexities of J&K issue whereby those with full faith in the democratic and constitutional mechanism of our country have been deeply hurt and they feel betrayed,” she said addressing the main commemoration event on the 22nd foundation day of the party headquarters in Srinagar.
“While we have taken it upon ourselves to struggle for our identity and rights by all peaceful and constitutional means, we are also not losing the sight of the bigger picture and would continue to advocate the resolution through dialogue and reconciliation to bring about lasting peace not only in Jammu and Kashmir but the entire subcontinent,” Mehbooba said in her address.
On the day, the party leadership underlined the relevance of the guiding principles and ethos of PDP “which is to advocate and facilitate resolution through dialogue and reconciliation, peace with dignity and equitable development.”
“Our unflinching and uncompromising stand visavis our identity and rights aside, the changing geo-political scenario is proving the agenda and roadmap of PDP more relevant today than ever before,” she claimed, adding, “It is our belief that peace in South Asian region and the prosperity of people is subservient to sustainable peace in J&K and the only way to achieve it would be to follow up on what Mufti sahib had envisioned and even executed when at the helm of affairs from 2002-2005.
Advocating for change in the current approach of the government towards the people of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba emphasized the need for a shift from security centric approach to J&K.
“It is high time that the idea to look at J&K through the security prism alone be given up. Such an approach has miserably failed to achieve the desired results. J&K has to be looked at as a political & human problem. It is an issue of people desirous of peace with dignity and identity,” she added.
Reaching out to the people of the country, Mehbooba said that J&K had not acceded with a political party but the democratic and secular people of the great nation and that “they must not remain mute spectators while the people of J&K are being demeaned and muzzled.”
Castigating BJP for bulldozing the democratic ethos and institutions of the country, Mehbooba equated the present day style of functioning of BJP government with the erstwhile East India Company “which only bothered about land and resources and not the people and their aspirations.”
“For BJP like East India Company every citizen of the country is a suspect and guilty until proven innocent,” she said
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