Srinagar, Nov 6 (UNI) Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti termed the resolution passed by the National Conference led government in the assembly on Wedneday as an ambivalent move and a half-hearted approach.
She said her party will strive for complete restoration of August 4, 2019 position in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a press conference after the passage of a resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly calling for a dialogue on the restoration of special status, the PDP President expressed sharp criticism over what she termed as the resolution’s “half-hearted” language.
“It has been proven beyond doubt now that numbers don’t matter if the opposition is driven by genuine intent and a clear agenda. Whether one person or a few stand in opposition, if they have a clean agenda and are sincere, they can compel the government to address the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Mufti said.
Reflecting on the PDP’s long-standing stance, she pointed out that it was her party that first raised the demand for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. The PDP president noted that the Chief Minister’s endorsement of a dialogue is ironic and that the current resolution lacks an unambiguous condemnation of the 2019 decision to revoke Article 370 and 35A.
“It only expresses ‘concern’ and calls for dialogue. It fails to explicitly oppose or condemn the 2019 decision,” she said.
Mehbooba further questioned the notion of dialogue without addressing the “humiliation” faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir, stating that the resolution’s language put forth by PDP’s Waheed-ur-Rahman Parra was more definitive, calling for the complete restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status as it was before 2019. “Instead of merely expressing concern, it should clearly state that this House resolves to restore Article 370 and 35A in their original form,” she asserted.
The former Chief Minister stressed that true national unity lies in respecting diversity, which is what Jammu and Kashmir embraced when it acceded to India in 1947. She suggested her party might propose amendments to the resolution to reflect a stronger opposition to the 2019 decision and a more sincere call for restoring the region’s special status.
“If the National Conference and the government have taken this step, we welcome it. However, it is PDP’s responsibility to ensure the resolution truly represents the people’s aspirations,” she added.
