Srinagar, Aug 4: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today said that the ‘steps taken on August 5, 2019 have not only betrayed the trust of the people but also complicated the issue of J&K further & taken the political process back by decades.’
In a statement issued here today, PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti said “It is a day when the country was lied to & the highest institutions were misused. The day saw solemn promises being broken and the trust of millions of people being betrayed. On this day, the spirit of constitutionalism and democratic ethos were undermined as the people of J&K were robbed of their identity and rights.”
“In order to restore peace with dignity in J&K, there is no alternative to dialogue and reconciliation to address internal as well as the external dimensions of the issue of Jammu & Kashmir,” she said.
“Jammu & Kashmir has to become a bridge of friendship rather than a bone of contention between India and Pakistan & PDP will continue to strive to see this happen,” she added.
“Reiterating that the party would continue to struggle and strive for the restoration rights and identity of the people of J&K, Mehbooba said that no amount of coercion would dissuade the party from advocating its core agenda of peace with dignity through dialogue & reconciliation,” the statement reads.
“Today the party reiterates that August 5 is and will continue to be a Black Day as a reminder of the constitutional fraud perpetrated on the people of J&K and that of how this fraud was imposed with the might of incarcerations and under the dark shadow of suspension of civil liberties. A day that is now etched in history and collective memory of us all as a proverbial daylight robbery on the rights and liberties of the people of Jammu & Kashmir when promises made to the people of J&K enshrined in the constitution of India were bulldozed to realize the agenda of one party”, she said.