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| ‘J&K Govt. people led peace process from front' | | Don't try to take credit away from where it belongs: Mehbooba | | Early Times Reporter
Srinagar | Apr 25
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti has called for an attitudinal change among the politicians who still feel that only the Central Government is the master of destinies in Jammu and Kashmir. "Belittling the role of the Jammu and Kashmir Government or the citizens of the State, only reflects the jaundiced vision or some kind of complex of those politicians who attribute every important event exclusively to the decisions of Delhi" she told a public meeting at Palpora in Eidgah constituency today.
The PDP President said the turn-around in J&K's situation would not have been possible without the people of the State leading the peace process from the front and its Government channeling their political aspirations. She said the two vital components of the peace process - proactive involvement of the State and its people - were respected by the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, his successor Dr Manmohan Singh and the UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and reciprocated by Pakistan, to open an entirely new chapter in the history of South Asia. "Kashmir which had been a source of discord has now scripted a new agenda of peace for the entire region" she said and added no headway could have been possible without the determination and cooperation of the State's people.
Decrying the tendency of some political leaders to take credit away from where it belongs, Mehbooba said such politicians were resorting to sycophancy just for scoring points and behaving as more loyal than the king. She said the momentous decisions taken by India and Pakistan after 2002, were possible only because the State Government led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had gained a new respectability by voicing the need for a permanent solution to Kashmir problem and raising fundamental political and economic issues concerning Jammu & Kashmir. This, she said was unprecedented in the 60 year long post-independence history. "Unfortunately, earlier, the State chief ministers, including the tallest ones, were used only for two roles - organizing river processions for the visiting dignitaries or abusing Pakistan," she said.
Mehbooba said whether in or out of power, her party believes in the strength of democracy and resolving issues through dialogue. She said without any confrontation the PDP, while being a part of the Coalition Government and the UPA, had brought to the center-stage the apparently delicate issues of troop reduction, scrapping of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and cross-LoC political initiatives like joint Senate and mutual use of currencies. She said these issues now constitute the basis of discourse on Kashmir and progress on these can lead to ultimate resolution of the problem.
In the past, she said, governments in the State bartered issues on which they got votes for mere survival and personal comfort of leaders. "But now the situation has changed for good and people can't be taken for granted or for a ride," she said and added that a new awakening is dawning across the State's political landscape where people feel that they can make or break things through democratic means.
PDP leaders Ghulam Qadir Pardesi, Mansoor Hussain, Asifa Naqash, Haji Parvez Ahmad and Anjum Qadiri also addressed the meeting. |
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