Kashmir needs healing touch, not dev packages: Hakeem

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hakeem

Srinagar, Feb 04: Saying that there was an urgent need to provide healing touch to the miseries of turmoil hit people of the state than announcing developmental packages, Chairman Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) Hakeem Yaseen has said that Prime Minister Narindera Modi ought to have announced a political package for amicable solution to the lingering on Kashmir problem on the humanitarian grounds. He said mere reciting of a few sweet Kashmiri words wouldn’t remove miseries and hardships of Kashmiris.

Speaking to a public gathering at the conclusion of his weeklong whirlwind tour of various areas of Khansahib constituency today, Chairman PDF Hakeem Yaseen has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi ought to have brought a broad based political package to address both external and internal dimensions of the Kashmir problem during his yesterday’s visit to the state, adding that it was more important to end ongoing death and destruction in the restive state. He said addressing political and social aspirations of the people of the state was more required at the present stage than announcing developmental packages. “Both political and development process should go on simultaneously to address the socio-political aspirations of the state’s people who are yearning for peace and tranquility for last seven decades.

Hakeem Yaseen said that people of the violence hit state are looking forward for healing touch to their wounds and miseries which was possible through a broad based political package only. He said though developmental projects were also necessary for the economic prosperity of the state but first priority was for a pragmatic political package.

PDF chairman said miseries and hardships of the people could only be removed through an amicable political solution to the Kashmir problem adding that it was expected that Prime Minister would announce some kind of a pragmatic roadmap to carry forward the mission of Late Prime Minister Atal Ji for resumption of talks on Kashmir issue.

Hakeem Yaseen said that previous governments too have, from time to time, announced big economic and developmental packages for the state but it could not bring peace and political stability in the restive Kashmir adding that Kashmir was a political problem which can only be solved politically. He said as an elder brother India should make a sincere beginning for a structured dialogue process with its neighbor Pakistan to solve the Kashmir problem on humanitarian basis.

During his visit to Khansahib constituency, Hakeem Yaseen met senior citizens, civil society members and prominent political personalities of the area and discussed with them the prevailing socio-political scenario of the state. He asked the people to reject opportunistic, communal and exploitative political parties in the ensuing Assembly and Parliamentary elections defeat those parties who have time and again compromised with the interests of the state for their chair. Such parties should not be trusted again and again Hakeem Yaseen stressed.

Meanwhile, CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami in separate statement issued to media reacted to the remarks of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that they “will break the back of militancy in Kashmir”.

While as the fact remains that the genesis of the militancy in Kashmir is essentially political alienation which he didn’t touch.

In a statement issued to media here, Tarigami said “CPI(M) has been consistently emphasizing that violence is not an answer to the unrest in Kashmir as it only leads to death and destruction. What are the roots of the militancy need to be understood first? So many times, in the last three-decades announcements were made that militancy has been controlled. Then where from it has been erupting time and again.”

“The reality is that the Kashmir unrest is due to the deep-rooted alienation and faulty policies pursued by the successive governments, especially since the present BJP-led dispensation came into power in 2014. By making such statements, Modi is trying to mislead the people of the country. Clearly the BJP Govt. is seeking to use the J&K situation to supplement its campaign of deepening communal polarization in the run up to the general elections. No substantial initiative was taken by the Govt. to start genuine political dialogue which would have enabled it to talk to stake holders to find out solution to this vexed problem. Relying exclusively on the use of disproportionate force has proved adding fuel to the fire,” he said.

Tarigami said “In 2014, there was a huge democratic participation of the people in elections but what happened thereafter? Why, for the last almost three years, elections could not be held in South Kashmir’s Lok Sabha seat? This is a question that is still to be answered.”

“Unfortunately, BJP-led Govt. is looking at the Kashmir issue from the narrow prism of security only and treating it merely either the cross border issue or law and order problem,” he added.

CPI (M) leader said what is urgently required is not to follow the beaten tracks of repeated denials. The bold political initiative to reach to the common people can only be a way forward to address the issues.

 

 

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