Srinagar, July 18,: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has said her party is prepared to participate in the proposed Jantar Mantar protest in New Delhi only if the movement goes beyond the demand for restoration of statehood and also seeks the restoration of Article 370, release of political prisoners and other constitutional safeguards for Jammu and Kashmir.
In a letter addressed to National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah on Saturday, Mehbooba said the PDP had carefully considered the invitation to join the protest but believed that restricting the campaign solely to statehood would fall short of addressing the larger political issues confronting Jammu and Kashmir. She asserted that the events of August 5, 2019 had fundamentally altered the constitutional relationship between Jammu and Kashmir and the Union, making the restoration of statehood only one part of a much broader political resolution.
Mehbooba said the erosion of Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional identity had led to widespread political alienation and called for a united effort to restore what she described as the region’s dignity, rights and democratic safeguards. She maintained that the restoration of Article 370 and the release of political prisoners should remain at the heart of any collective political movement.
The former Chief Minister also urged Dr. Abdullah to convene an all-party meeting involving regional political parties, civil society organisations, trade bodies and other stakeholders to formulate a common roadmap for restoring constitutional and democratic rights in Jammu and Kashmir.
Referring to the post-2019 political developments, Mehbooba alleged that arbitrary detentions, dismissal of government employees, restrictions on the media, closure of educational institutions and environmental degradation had deepened public discontent. She argued that a movement limited to the demand for statehood would overlook these larger concerns.
While extending her best wishes for the proposed Jantar Mantar protest, Mehbooba reiterated that the PDP would participate only if the campaign remained focused on restoring Article 370, securing the release of political prisoners and addressing what she termed the broader political aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. [KNT]
