The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), headed by Mehbooba Mufti, on Tuesday decided to stay away from the Jammu and Kashmir Delimitation Commission exercise, saying “there are apprehensions the outcome is pre-planned, it will further result in political disempowerment of J&K’s people and is aimed at realising the political vision of a particular political party”.
“We are of the considered opinion that the Commission lacks constitutional and legal mandate and its very existence and objectives have left every ordinary resident of J&K with many questions. There are apprehensions that the exercise is part of the overall process of political disempowerment of the people of J&K that the government of India has embarked on,” PDP general secretary Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura said in a letter to commission head Justice (retd.) Ranjana Prakesh Desai.
Mr. Hanjura said at the very core of these apprehensions was the process through which the commission had been constituted.
“The fact that while the delimitation process across the country has been put on hold till 2026, J&K has been made an exception. There are apprehensions that the process is aimed at realising the political vision of a particular political party in J&K wherein, like other things, the views and wishes of the people of J&K would be considered the least,” he added.
He said in view of the above-mentioned facts and issues, the PDP had decided to stay away from the delimitation process and not be part of some exercise, “the outcome of which is widely believed to be pre-planned and which may further hurt the interests of our people.”
Mr. Hanjura said there was a widespread belief that the contours and outcome of the exercise were pre-planned and the exercise per se was a “mere formality”. “The very intent is under question,” he added in the letter.
Referring to August 5, 2019, the PDP leader said the “constitutional and democratic values of the country were trampled upon” with the people of Jammu & Kashmir being “robbed of their legitimate constitutional and democratic rights” by means of abrogation of Article 370 and 35 (A) of the Indian Constitution, “illegally and unconstitutionally”.
On the recent all-party meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Hanjura said the party did not want to come in the way of what could have been an initiation of a reconciliation process aimed at restoring the rights of the people of J&K.
“We would like to put on the record that despite the utter humiliation of the people of J&K, undermining of our constitutional and democratic rights, vilification and incarceration of political leadership and ordinary citizens, when the Honorable Prime Minister convened the meeting, we didn’t let our hurt come in way of what could have been an initiation of a reconciliation process aimed at restoring the rights of people of J&K.”
However, the PDP leader said, the party was disappointed to see that after the meeting nothing had moved and no effort had been made to bring ease into the lives of people, giving credence to those, who had in the first instance, called the meeting “a mere photo opportunity”.
“Leave aside acting on the suggested confidence-building measures, the government of India has continued with its daily dictates to the people of J&K including the recent amendments and orders including those making every person a suspect (govt. employees antecedents verification order) and deepening the divide between two regions of J&K (the order related to Darbar move),” Mr. Hanjura said.
The members of the J&K Delimitation Commission arrived in Srinagar on Tuesday afternoon and will hold meeting with political parties, civil society groups and officials after 3 p.m. Kashmir-based parties, including the leaders of the National Conference, will meet the commission.