J&K: PDP writes to Delimitation Commission, refusing to meet panel
(Sourced from PTI)
The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by former CM Mehbooba Mufti Tuesday decided to not meet the Delimitation Commission, saying the body lacks constitutional and legal mandate and is part of the overall process of political disempowerment of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. A two-page letter was sent to former Supreme Court judge, Ranjana Desai, who is heading the panel.
In the letter, PDP's General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura said the PDP will 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." The letter started off by highlighting the Centre's August 5, 2019 revocation of J&K's special status and its bifurcation into two Union Territories.
The three-member Delimination Commission was to meet political leaders in the Union Territory beginning Tuesday. Without naming the BJP, the PDP even alleged there are apprehensions that the process is aimed at realizing the political vision "of a particular party" in Jammu and Kashmir wherein, like other things, the views and wishes of the people would be considered the least.
The PDP said 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," it participated in PM Narendra Modi's all-party meeting on June 24." "We didn't let our hurt come in way of what could have been...initiation of reconciliation process aimed at restoring the rights of people," it said.
During the all-party meeting, PDP emphasized the need to reach out to people and suggested specific confidence-building measures to break the ice in addressing the "massive trust deficit between New Delhi and J&K." The letter said when they wanted some confidence-building measures, the Centre continued with its daily dictates to J&K's people with recent amendments and orders, including those making every person a suspect.
