In its first general council meeting held after the party’s worst-ever debacle in the Assembly elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday vowed to fight for the restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
In a resolution passed in the General Council meeting the party, “reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the party’s foundational principles”.
“We resolve to reinvigorate our struggle for peace with dignity for the state of Jammu and Kashmir, using all democratic and constitutional methods to resolve the Kashmir issue, including the restoration of the special status that was enjoyed by our people until August 5, 2019, under the Constitution of India”, the party said.
Election results are not up to the mark.
The PDP leadership observed that the results of the recently held Assembly elections were not up to the mark as far as expectations of the party were concerned.
Important to mention here that first time after its formation in 1999, the PDP secured the lowest ever three Assembly seats in the recently held elections.
“The meeting acknowledges the recent Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. While the PDP’s performance did not meet expectations, we are confident that the elected representatives can effectively articulate the concerns, aspirations, and opinions of the people”, the resolution reads.
PDP urged the Union government and the broader Indian populace about the issues of disempowerment, deprivation, and humiliation resulting from the unconstitutional revocation of J&K’s constitutional rights, Article-370.
The meeting expressed hope that the current Jammu and Kashmir government will act in accordance with the significant mandate and trust placed in their manifesto and commitments.
However, the party noted that the initial actions of the current government have not fully met these expectations. The PDP urged the National Conference government to recognize the mandate’s true essence and lead effectively.
The party believed that the government must take effective measures in addressing critical issues such as electricity shortages, unemployment, the drug crisis, the release of prisoners, and the overexploitation of natural resources which are damaging the environment and ecology irreversibly.
PDP demands release of political prisoners
The general body meeting of the PDP demanded an immediate process to review the status of political prisoners held in various jails across India. “We call for the release of all individuals detained on weak or non-existent charges and advocate for transferring prisoners to Jammu and Kashmir”, the party demanded.
“The meeting expresses deep concern over the increasing climate of hatred against Muslims in India. We implore the Prime Minister to leverage his influence to curb violence, dispel false narratives, and halt the targeting of Muslims through what we perceive as judicial overreach. We reaffirm our belief in India as a nation that celebrates diversity, mutual respect, and the protection of individual rights and beliefs”, the party observed.
Mehbooba re-constitutes party’s Parliamentary Board
Mehbooba Mufti reconstituted the Parliamentary Board of the Peoples Democratic Party. Mohammad Sartaj Madni has been nominated as chairperson with Abdul Rehman Veeri, Haji Abdul Hameed Choudhary, Dr Mehboob Beg, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, and Amreek Singh Reen as members of the Board.