Speaking at the All Party Meet (APM) called by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Wednesday, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and President Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti pitched for the declaration of ceasefire in J&K after Amarnath Yatra, a PDP spokesman said in a statement.
Mehbooba, according to the statement, while speaking at theAPM said, “The recent statement made by the Prime Minister about Sab Ka Sath,Sab Ka Vikas and Sab Ka Vishvas should be implemented on ground and best placeto start with that is Kashmir which feels alienated, bruised and wounded.”
“We hope that there is a way out to mend the relationsbetween the people of Jammu and Kashmir and rest of the country. There is onlyone way to resolve Kashmir which is through political means and throughdialogue. Late Vajpayee had made anearnest endeavour and Prime Minster Modi too tried to pursue the same approach.However, unfortunately, he couldn’t get the positive response from Pakistan andthe militancy related incidents only acted as a spoilsport in the process,” shesaid.
The PDP chief added that in spite of all the unwantedincidents that hampered the peace initiatives, dialogue is the only way toresolve the crises. “We hope that after Amarnath Yatra concludes peacefully andharmoniously, initiative will again be taken to resume dialogue with allstakeholders in Kashmir. You can dominate an enemy but not your own people.People of Jammu and Kashmir at time of partition of the subcontinent went withthe idea of India which is of inclusiveness and accommodation. Our country ismarked by diversity of all kinds and the biggest challenge is to maintain thisdiversity and no attempts should be made to dilute it,” Mehbooba said.
The PDP president said that the Constitution and thepolitical system alone can satisfy the aspirations of the people and that theproblems being faced by any alienated section of the society are addressedwithin the country. “It is high time that country sees why the people of Jammuand Kashmir do not look upto New Delhi for the redressal of their grievancesanymore,” she added.
That lack of trust, she said, has to be restored and thatcan be done by nobody except the Prime Minister who has come back with a hugemajority.
She added that Kashmir has remained a major challenge forsuccessive Prime Ministers for last seven decades and that in order to end thecontinuing tragedy of Kashmir, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed put everything at stake, including his party’s political capital,life time of service and went with the BJP hoping that conflict of Kashmir willfinally be resolved. “Now that the PrimeMinister has come back with a renewed and a stronger mandate, we expect him toact decisively and resolve our problems in accordance with the politicalaspirations of the people,” she said.
Mehbooba maintained further that the Muslims of India havestood by the interests of this country and the present being faced by them isvery painful. “We have to see thatthere was a three decade long insurgency in Kashmir but there wasn’t a singleMuslim from mainland India who picked up arms and joined militancy inKashmir. This community has to be ownedas equal stakeholders. Sab Ka Sath, San Ka Vishwas has to include Muslims specifically,”she said.
On one nation one poll proposal, the PDP president statedthat the India is defined by its diversity in culture, in linguistics, ineating and living habits and therefore politically also this diversity shouldbe allowed to thrive.