STATE TIMES NEWS
Vijaypur: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, who is keeping ally BJP guessing over government formation, on Saturday said the Narendra Modi government should take “decisive confidence-building measures” to create an environment wherein effective governance could be possible in the state.
She said the central government shall have to reach out to Jammu and Kashmir to end the “gloomy scenario of despair and alienation” as addressing the genuine political, economic and security concerns goes beyond power politics.
“Peace, stability are pre-requisites for development, effective governance,” said Mehbooba addressing a gathering of PDP workers here in Vijaypur while launching the party’s membership drive.
Mehbooba said “effective development and good governance in Jammu and Kashmir is possible only in an environment of peace and stability which necessitates decisive confidence building measures to be taken by the political leadership in New Delhi.”
She added, “Peace and stability is possible only when we revive, with firm resolve and with tangible confidence building measures, the process of reconciliation and engagement in and around Jammu and Kashmir.”
Mehbooba said J&K has huge stakes in peace and stability in the region, as people in both Kashmir and Jammu regions have to suffer enormous human and economic losses because of the hostility.
“While people living along the borders in Jammu region suffer and live under the constant threat of cross-border shelling, the people in Kashmir valley are suffering because of the continued internal strife and recurrent violence,” she said.
She added that peace along the borders in Jammu region and within the mainland in Kashmir is key to development and progress as had happened between 2002 and 2005.
“We shall have to ponder over the emerging situation in the State and go deep into the reasons for mounting alienation especially among the educated youth,” Mehbooba said and added that concrete measures shall have to be taken to address the causes of alienation and cynicism and at the same time revive the process of intra-state and inter-state reconciliation, which was the dream of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
“Mufti Sahab wanted to take the peace and resolution process started between 2002 and 2005 to its logical conclusion,” she said.
Mehbooba said the Kashmir issue should not be seen through the security prism alone and the country needs to invest in J&K’s peace and own and acknowledge the pain and sufferings of its people. “The ordinary people of India need to participate in hand holding with Kashmiris to give them a sense of belonging,” she said and added that when we talk of Jammu and Kashmir being an integral part of India, we need to go beyond the ownership of land. “People of Jammu and Kashmir should not be given to feel that their dignity is being undermined,” she said.
Mehbooba said addressing the genuine political, economic and security concerns of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is an issue which goes beyond power politics and requires a decisive political will at various levels.
“We shall have to take decisive confidence building measures to end the gloomy scenario of despair and alienation the state has been once again pushed into,” she said and added that the most daring challenge for PDP is to be with the people and show solidarity with them and the party is committed to its resolve of working for peace, stability and development of Jammu and Kashmir.
DESPERATE BJP JUMPS THE LINE
Jammu: Assuming PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti dropping hints of going ahead with it, BJP on Saturday pushed for early formation of the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, saying people were desiring it.
“I think that the J&K government should be formed without wasting time”, BJP leader Nirmal Singh told reporters here.
The former Deputy Chief Minister said people want them to form the government as they have suffered a lot during the Congress regime. “It took two months to prepare the ‘Agenda of Alliance’,” he said about the efforts made when the coalition was firmed up between the two parties in March last year. The desperation of BJP is seen as PDP taking hard-line yet again.
DETERMINED PDP PUTS RED LINE
SRINAGAR: Soon after PDP chief toughened her stand, after posturing reconciliation towards BJP a day earlier, Peoples Democratic Party leader and former minister Choudhary Zulfikar on Saturday said that the government formation with the BJP will take place only if the latter gives a “time frame” for implementing the ‘Agenda of Alliance’.
“We have conveyed our point of view to BJP leadership. We are asking for a timeline. We are waiting for their response. Let them respond,” Zulfikar was reported saying to a Srinagar based news agency.
“Unless and until BJP gives a timeframe to implement the Agenda of Alliance, government formation is difficult. Once it gives a timeline we will form the government and work for the people,” he said.
