Says J&K doesn’t seek separation, seeks dignity & dialogue
Nadeem Nadu
Srinagar, Dec 7 :
Peoples Democratic Party President and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday said the recent incident involving two educated young men from Jammu and Kashmir in Delhi had raised serious questions, stressing the need for direct and sustained engagement with the region’s youth.
Speaking at the Kath Bath interaction programme organised by the PDP in Srinagar, Mehbooba, as per news agency Kashmir News Corner — KNC, said the party had decided to hold regular sessions to understand the pressures and challenges young people are facing today.
She said the PDP had invited youth for an open conversation, during which many non-party youngsters also participated and shared their concerns, anxieties and suggestions. Mehbooba added that such interactions would not be limited to one event but would be held across all districts of Jammu and Kashmir, and later even outside the UT.
The PDP chief said many young people from J&K expressed concern over the way they are treated outside the region, and such issues must be acknowledged rather than ignored. She reiterated that the core issues affecting Jammu and Kashmir require a dignified solution that allows people to live with respect, peace and a sense of belonging within the country.
Referring to the roadmap once discussed between former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former J&K Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, she said J&K does not seek separation but seeks relief from pressures created by strict laws like the UAPA and PSA. She said reconciliation with the youth was essential, as many of them were feeling deeply hurt and alienated.
Mehbooba said the PDP would attempt to act as a bridge between the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of India. She said the questions raised by youth had already reached Delhi and the government must examine the circumstances behind the incident reported from the capital.
She added that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir had changed significantly after 2019, and the claims of normalcy made then do not match today’s realities. She urged the Centre including the NSA, Home Minister and Prime Minister to review the post-2019 policy and initiate a fresh process of dialogue and reconciliation with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. (KNC)