PDP Marks 26th Foundation Day with Renewed Call for Dialogue and Dignity
Srinagar: On the occasion of its 26th Foundation Day, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) held a commemorative event at Sher-e-Kashmir Park in Srinagar on Monday, where party president Mehbooba Mufti delivered a keynote address, reiterating the PDP’s founding principles of peace, dignity, and dialogue. The former chief minister invoked the legacy of her late father and party founder, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, stating that his vision and ideology remain the guiding light for the party.
Describing the day as a celebration of “Mufti Muhammad Sayeed’s thought and the PDP’s philosophy of ‘Aman Ki Baat, Izzat Kay Saath’,” Mehbooba recalled the political circumstances under which the party was born. “PDP was founded at a critical juncture in Jammu and Kashmir’s history, and it was never meant to provoke confrontation but to serve the people,” she said, emphasizing that her father always strived to lessen the burden on the people of the region.
Speaking on India’s foreign policy, she questioned the denial of space to Kashmiris in debates that directly impact their future. “Whenever a Kashmiri speaks about peace (with Pakistan), they are told not to interfere in foreign policy. But I want to ask, what is India’s foreign policy without Jammu and Kashmir? We are the ones who suffer the consequences of conflict,” she said, referring to the human cost of past hostilities. “Our children died, our fathers died, and what was the result? Zero.”
In a sharply worded critique, she said that Mufti Sayeed always envisioned India as a strong and compassionate country—“an elephant,” in his words, but lamented that “this elephant has now chained its own feet, and that chain is Jammu and Kashmir.” She argued that instead of being a crown on India’s head, Kashmir has been reduced to a constraint because of the policies pursued in the region.
Mehbooba Mufti as per the news agency Kashmir News Trust also drew comparisons between India and China, highlighting that despite India having a larger and younger population, China has managed to outpace it in development and global influence. “Even our own External Affairs Minister says we can’t compete with China. Then what are we doing with all these weapons and missiles when there’s no investment in health and education?” she asked.
She further added that Pakistan, despite being economically unstable, remains part of India’s security discourse. “You say Kashmir is integral to the nation, then let Kashmiris speak. If we don’t raise our voice, who else will? You fight wars in our name.”
The PDP president said that Jammu and Kashmir has remained a challenge for every Indian Prime Minister. “Indira Gandhi created Bangladesh, Vajpayee took the bus to Lahore, Manmohan Singh sincerely wanted to resolve Kashmir, and now Prime Minister Modi has the capability to do it if he chooses to,” she said, urging the current dispensation to walk the path of reconciliation rather than repression.
She expressed grave concern over the continuous deployment of additional troops in Kashmir and the growing use of harsh laws like the PSA against civilians. “How many more people are you going to arrest or kill? What purpose does it serve? Even the tribal community is now being targeted,” she said.
Reiterating that peace in Kashmir cannot be achieved through force, Mehbooba Mufti said, “India has to win the hearts of the people of Kashmir. Without that, there can be no real change.” She concluded by welcoming India’s participation in the upcoming Asia Cup cricket tournament and urged New Delhi to take a similar approach toward Kashmir, by embracing its people, engaging in dialogue, and working toward a lasting resolution. [KNT]
