PDP holds out its hand to parties: ‘Unity call of history, can ignore only at our peril’

At a meeting held here Monday, the PDP Political Affairs Committee (PAC), headed by Mehbooba Mufti, passed a resolution saying, “The party calls for a united fight to restore the dignity and constitutional rights of the state that are enshrined in the Constitution of India. The party will extend unqualified support to other political parties in this joint fight and will look forward and welcome support from others. This is a call of history that we all can ignore only at our peril, and the annihilation of our distinct identity, culture and civilisational uniqueness.”

Holding a discussion on the prevailing political situation, the PDP said there was “continuous coercion aimed at muzzling the legitimate voice of the people”, adding that this had continued after “the illegal abrogation of special status of the state”.

The PAC resolution called for restitution of “the democratic rights” of J&K and stated that “all unconstitutional actions taken on August 5, 2019, and since, rolling out of measures to disenfranchise, disempower and humiliate the people of the state” are unacceptable to the party.

It reiterated its commitment to struggle for “the resolution of the external and internal dimensions of the J&K problem”, and to strengthen the party at the grassroots level with an outreach programme.

The PDP cautioned against “the evil designs” of the BJP, saying it was trying to force a demographic change in the state. “It’s ironic that the only state in South Asia that defied the communal logic of Partition is now facing an onslaught of numbers. The recent decision to include 25 lakh additional voters (it is a contested figure) is fraught with not only the ominous signs of fraud but incalculable fallout,” the party said, adding that the government should halt the summary revision of electoral rolls.

It accused the government of “making an already complex issue more complicated” ushering in “a humanitarian crisis”, and sought restoration of the peace process, which it said had yielded tangible results. “Today when the demons of hate are consuming our society and countries, we urge the Prime Minister to assume India’s rightful leadership role in South Asia and make a beginning from Kashmir by making it a bridge of understanding and reconciliation, friendship and cooperation,” the party said.

Stating that even voices of symbolic dissent are “crushed” by the government, the PDP said that clampdown on media, peaceful protests and civil liberties “has encouraged the authorities to treat the citizens as enemies in their own country.”

The PDP also observed its anguish over targeted attacks on civilians, especially the Kashmiri Pandit community. “The stark failure of the government in ensuring their safety in homes, offices and private establishments is a painful reminder of the arrogance of rulers, their inefficiency and exposes their false, media driven claims of normalcy,” the resolution stated.

It called for a return to J&K of detainees being held outside the UT. “Most of them are held without any charges or on flimsy grounds. They come from poor families and can’t even see their families who find it beyond their resources to visit them.”