SRINAGAR — The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday (August 21, 2024) kept its doors open to engage the Congress for talks on a pre-poll coalition for the Assembly elections in J&K and described visiting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi “as an impactful voice who could raise issues of Kashmir and work towards broader coalition in J&K”.
“Mr. Gandhi has emerged as an impactful voice and is able to create a new atmosphere in the country. If Mr. Gandhi is able to connect with local voices in J&K and offer the role of handholding, the PDP is always open to the idea,” PDP leader Naeem Akhtar told The Hindu, in an interview.
The PDP leader, considered close to PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, said the tough times Kashmir is going through “demand a unified voice outside and inside the Assembly”.
“All local parties in J&K are on the same page today. It was evident from the National Conference (NC) manifesto. It reflected the essence of what PDP founder Mufti Muhammad Sayeed advocated since 2002. Kashmir needs to be a bridge between India and Pakistan and not a battlefield,” Mr. Akhtar said.
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He asked Mr. Gandhi to play his role at the crucial juncture of Kashmir’s history. “The Congress has been responsible for Kashmir joining India. It’s the moral responsibility of the Congress to bring us out from the dark pit we have been pushed into. Mr. Gandhi and his party should accept Kashmir as a moral question,” Mr. Akhtar said.
The PDP leader dropped broad hints at pre-poll alliance with the Congress “to form a joint front” against the BJP. “We are ready for an engagement with the Congress,” Mr. Akhtar said.
Mr. Akhtar said it was Ms. Mufti who set a stage for coalition in J&K on August 4, 2019.
“She knocked on the doors of senior leaders, including Dr. Abdullah, J&K Peoples Conference president Sajad Lone etc. to join hands against the tsunami unleashed against J&K. J&K was a functional and vast State showcasing diversity identities from Muslims to Buddhists to Hindus. J&K is pushed into a deep gorge and punished apparently for being home to the majority of Muslims,” Mr. Akhtar said.
“The regional parties have no ground to fight against each other, given we all are at the bottom of the dark pit,” he added.
He asked Mr. Gandhi to speak about the issues of Kashmir. “He should talk about political prisoners, especially innocents put behind bars since 2019. His voice resonates in the country and has an impact. He should highlight the loot of local resources and denial of rights. Only Mr. Gandhi could make issues of Kashmir as national issues,” Mr. Akhtar said.
Mr. Gandhi arrived at Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday (August 21, 2024) evening. He is likely to hold a series of meetings with senior party leaders and later with the National Conference (NC) leaders, Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah. The two parties are already holding backchannel meetings to finalise seat-sharing arrangements in Jammu and Kashmir. The final announcement is likely on Thursday (August 22, 2024). Both the PDP and NC are part of the grand alliance, INDIA, on the national level. — (The Hindu)