People’s Conference vows to fight for restoration of Article 370, statehood
The Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference president Sajad Lone on Thursday said the party will fight for restoration of Article 370, Article 35A, and also restoration of Jammu and Kashmir statehood.
Releasing the party manifesto, Lone also said the party would encourage, support and facilitate any initiative aimed at peace building and conflict resolution which can lead to a durable resolution of Kashmir issue.
Lone said the party would probe into the rigging of 1987 assembly elections and its aftermath and also strive to make sure the freedom and basic rights of every individual is legally upheld through legislative process.
About passing a resolution on Article 370 in the Assembly, Lone said it was just a “moral thing” as special status of J&K can only be restored by Parliament.
“If there is a resolution in the Assembly, we will support it. But, if no one brings it, then we will bring a resolution,” Lone told reporters here when asked about his party’s plan on restoration of the special status of J&K, which was revoked by the Centre on August 5, 2019.
“We will support all efforts within and outside the legislative forums to restore the pre-2019 constitutional position of J&K,” he said, adding, a day will come, when both Article 370 and 35A, will be handed over back to the people of J&K.
Talking about the resolution of the Kashmir issue, Lone said, “The key to peace and prosperity not only in J&K but the entire region lies in an amicable resolution of the Kashmir issue, which takes into account the aspirations of its main stakeholders—the people of Kashmir.”
The manifesto has also promised to work towards ending the blacklisting of Kashmiris for jobs, passports and contracts. “The inhuman practice of blacklisting Kashmiris by security agencies, which bars them from getting jobs, passports and government contracts is regrettable. It is ironic that an entire family is blacklisted and held accountable for the misconduct of a single member of the family. Each case should be taken up on individual merit without affecting the future course of its now third and fourth generations,” it said, adding that the party believes in reconciliation and rapprochement is the way forward.
The People’s Conference has also talked about bringing an end to attachment of properties, demolition drives and terminations of employees. “These arbitrary acts have wreaked havoc in Kashmir,” the party said.
Among other promises made by the party, include rehabilitation of conflict victims, scrapping of draconian laws and release of poisoners. The party also promised to repeal the Public Safety Act (PSA) and other laws, which have allegedly been used to punish Kashmiris in the past three decades.
“We will also undo the amendments made during the Governor Rule in 2018 to imprison natives of Jammu & Kashmir in jails outside the state. We will additionally pursue the repeal of the stringent Enemy Agents Ordinance and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act,” the party said.
The party has also talked about protection of human rights, de-criminalization of dissent, return of Kashmir Pandits and re-integration of former militants. For employment, the party has said that it will ensure fast track recruitment, and the party will provide fellowships and internships to youngsters.
