Hakeem seeks concensus on restoration of statehood demand

Srinagar: Chairman People’s Democratic Front ( PDF) Hakeem Mohammad Thursday enjoined upon all mainstream political parties and civil society groups to evolve a common consensus about the growing demand for restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. He said main focus should be on restoration of constitutional guarantees on exclusive rights of its permanent residents on jobs, immovable property and domicile authority.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Hakeem urged the political parties and civil society groups of Jammu and Kashmir to come on a single platform to evolve a common strategy for seeking restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir along with constitutional safeguards to the rights of people on their land and jobs. He said constitutional safeguards on these basic rights were imperative to restore any political process in the troubled region. He said last year’s unilateral decision of the Center , amid unprecedented government crack down, to scrap special position of the erstwhile state and downgrading it’s status to mere Union Territory level have severely injured the psyche and honour of the people . He said even after passing one year of abrogation of Art. 370 of the Constitution of Indian, nothing has changed and silence of a grave yard prevails on ground. The government has been forced for another big clampdown on the people and entire mainstream political leaders this year too, which depicts clearly that likelihood of return of normalcy seems to be remote unless political process was initiated in Jammu and Kashmir. He said the authorities are yet scared of restoring 4G internet services in Jammu and Kashmir, causing inconvenience to lakhs of people.
Hakeem said that Central government especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have not fulfilled their promises made in the Parliament about protection to the domicile rights and jobs and restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir as yet. With the result, though one year has passed when Art. 370 was abrogated on August 5 last year , kashmiris are still full of anger and mistrust against Center and feel betrayed once again.
PDF Chairman said that instead of addressing aspirations of the people,
the Central leadership seems to be in a state of war with Kashmiris. ” What was wrong in providing safeguards to the domicile rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir on the pattern of many other hill states within India who enjoy some kind of domicile law’s , ” Hakeem observed adding that “here in JK, domicile certificates are being issued to outsiders , which was not in the interests of the state and it’s people” . He said changing laws for the welfare of Jammu and Kashmir and it’s people would have been a welcome step but changing laws to downgrade it and it’s people will have serious implications in future.
PDF Chairman urged the Central leadership to revisit it’s policy and approach towards kashmir and Kashmirs and initiate measures to win back trust and confidence of the people by fulfilling their socio political and developmental aspirations before it was too late.