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Journalism of Courage
Calling militarisation a “sign of weakness of India in Kashmir”, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Monday spelled out its Kashmir stand saying the party is in favour of autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir.
“Every state should be given right to draft their policies as per its need,” AAP’s central leader Yogendra Yadav said in Budgam. Yadav is the first top leader of the party to visit Kashmir to campaign for Raja Muzaffar Bhat, the party candidate for Srinagar. “AAP believes that not only for the prosperity of J&K, but every Indian state should have its own autonomy”.
Yadav, however, said that Kashmir issue can be resolved within the framework of Indian constitution. “There is no need of any third party to resolve the Kashmir dispute,” he said. “The matter can be resolved amicably within the parameters of Indian Constitution.” The AAP leader said that resolution of Kashmir issue needs an honest approach. “People should not feel alienated,” Yadav said. “They should be heard”.
Yadav took on BJP for its stand on article 370. “AAP believes in Swaraj. In Swaraj, every village, district, state should have the power to decide for its betterment,” he said. “Article 370 is a part of Swaraj”.
He blamed the mainstream political parties in Kashmir for the recent blast in valley. “There are apprehensions that mainstream politicians are themselves involved in these blasts,” he said. “The “Military presence in Kashmir should be as much as in Punjab, Haryana or in any other state of India”.
In the past, AAP faced public ire for questioning the huge presence of military in the state. Senior AAP leader Prashant Bhushan was attacked after he had said there should be referendum on the presence of army in Kashmir. The AAP had dissociated itself from Bhushan’s statement.
