Srinagar, Sep 05: Chairman Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former minister Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen has expressed hopes that the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A.) block would not repeat the past mistakes like the overnight toppling of democratically-elected governments in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Not only Prime Minister of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state was disgracefully arrested and dethroned but the very democratic and constitutional rights of the people were also trampled with impunity in the infamous coup on August 8, 1953,” Hakeem said in a statement, while reacting to the formation of opposition block I.N.D.I.A.
“This grave violation of the constitution by some the basic constituents of I.N.D.I.A. opposition block has actually been the root cause of the seeds of prevailing alienation among the people of J&K,” he said, adding that I.N.D.I.A may have some connotation at the country level, but the people of J&K have their own problems like the “crisis of identity and honour”.
“The way the democratically-elected governments in Jammu and Kashmir were repeatedly toppled unethically and undemocratically in 1953, 1975 and then in 1987, it has left deep scars of trust deficit on the psyche of the common people, which cannot be healed unless their socio-political aspirations were addressed with honour and dignity,” he added.
The I.N.D.I.A. block, unlike in the past, shall have to ensure that the governments work in the best interests of the people all over the country including J&K irrespective of region, religion, caste, creed and vested political considerations.
He also hoped that the bloc would fix the mistakes of the previous ruling parties, especially in J&K “that have over a period of time, betrayed the trust of innocent people by compromising their interests, more specifically their special identity”.
Hakeem questioned, “How come I.N.D.I.A. expect the trust of masses when its core constituents from J&K were under the radar for usurping fundamental rights of the people for satiating their vested political interests? An opposition block should have a broader vision to provide safeguards against abuses of power and authoritarian tendencies, not for vote bank politics.”
