Early Times Report
Jammu, July 18: Sharp political divisions have emerged among regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the National Conference’s proposed protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 20, with the Congress extending support, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) laying down conditions for participation, and the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference (JKPC), Apni Party and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) deciding to stay away.
The National Conference, led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, has called the protest to press for the immediate restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The party has invited leaders of all regional political parties to join the demonstration, which is expected to be attended by NC ministers, legislators and workers.
While the Congress has announced its support and will participate in the protest, other regional parties have adopted differing positions, exposing the lack of political consensus over the NC’s campaign.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said her party would participate in the Jantar Mantar protest only if the campaign went beyond the demand for the restoration of statehood and also sought the restoration of Article 370, the release of political prisoners and the reinstatement of constitutional safeguards for Jammu and Kashmir.
In a letter to National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba said the PDP had carefully considered the invitation but believed that limiting the movement to the demand for statehood alone would not adequately address the larger political issues confronting Jammu and Kashmir.
She argued that the constitutional changes of August 5, 2019, had fundamentally altered Jammu and Kashmir’s relationship with the Union and maintained that restoring statehood alone could not be regarded as a comprehensive political solution.
Mehbooba said the restoration of Article 370 and the release of political prisoners should remain central to any collective political movement. She also urged Farooq Abdullah to convene an all-party meeting involving regional political parties, civil society organisations, trade bodies and other stakeholders to prepare a common roadmap for restoring constitutional and democratic rights in Jammu and Kashmir.
Ref The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacked the proposed protest, describing it as a “drama” and accusing the National Conference of attempting to divert public attention from governance issues.
While extending her best wishes for the July 20 protest, Mehbooba reiterated that the PDP would join the movement only if it also focused on restoring Article 370, securing the release of political prisoners and addressing the broader political aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The National Conference’s appeal has already been rejected by three regional parties.
The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference, led by Sajad Gani Lone, and the Apni Party, headed by Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, have declined to participate in the protest. Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), led by Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid, has also announced that it will stay away from the programme.
Questioning the timing and intent of the protest, Sajad Lone said the National Conference should first explain its own role in the political developments following the abrogation of Article 370 before seeking public support for the statehood campaign.
Altaf Bukhari dismissed the proposed protest, saying it was “meant to empower the government, not the people,” and accused the National Conference of pursuing political optics rather than addressing the real concerns of the people.
The Jammu and Kashmir Congress has extended its support to the National Conference’s protest and will also organise district-level demonstrations across the Union Territory on July 19, a day ahead of the Jantar Mantar programme.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has attacked the proposed protest, describing it as a “drama” and accusing the National Conference of attempting to divert public attention from governance issues.
With major regional parties taking divergent positions, the National Conference’s July 20 demonstration is set to underline not only the demand for the restoration of statehood but also the deep political divisions that continue to shape Jammu and Kashmir’s opposition landscape. |
