In an exclusive interview with Rising Kashmir Correspondent, Javid Sofi, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party’s Senior Vice President, Ghulam Hassan Mir, reveals that their party has an unambiguous vision to lead Jammu and Kashmir to the path of peace and progress.
The senior vice president says that JKAP provided leadership to the people of Jammu and Kashmir at a critical juncture when it was needed the most, and their efforts helped in the restoration of employment and land ownership rights to the domiciles of this place, which were snatched due to the abrogation of Article 370.
He believes that the people of Jammu and Kashmir should think beyond the narratives held by traditional political parties and instead focus on the achievable.
Mir maintains that it never looks good that in India, the largest democracy in the world, Jammu and Kashmir be run under the Lieutenant Governor’s rule. He advocates for the restoration of full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir and the holding of assembly elections in the region so that people feel empowered and dignified.
Ghulam Hassan Mir, who comes from the Tangmarg area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, has represented the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly thrice and was a law minister in Ghulam Mohammad Shah-led cabinet and Tourism Minister in the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-led cabinet from 2002 to 2006.
Q: How do you see the current parliamentary election campaign different from previous ones?
A: If you talk of the whole country, there the poll campaign is as it used to be. Here in Kashmir, what I see is that the traditional political parties have started the poll campaign on the traditional lines. But, they have realised something and have given up certain ambiguous slogans which they used to give earlier. The Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) made it clear to people that we believe in politics which is based on truth. We advocate things which are achievable and we don’t raise false hopes among people. The youth is our future, and our mission is to lead them to the path of development and discourage them from treading a path that leads to graveyards, jails, and gun.
The JKAP wants the development and progress of Jammu and Kashmir. Yes, we face certain difficulties. It is never good in India, which is known in the world as a democratic country, that Jammu and Kashmir is run under governor rule. We want that there should be a democratically elected government in Jammu and Kashmir.
The primary objective of JKAP is that Jammu and Kashmir be run by elected representatives of the people and not by New Delhi. The government of India has done a disfavour to the people of Jammu and Kashmir by bifurcation of the earlier state and downgrading it to the status of a union territory. We demand that Jammu and Kashmir must be given a full state status so that people here feel empowered and dignified. Other political parties raised slogans of dignity, but they never decoded it, they used it as secessionist sentiment and not for the empowerment of the people.
Q: How has the emergence of new political parties like JKAP impacted Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape post the abrogation of Article 370?
A: I believe that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are intelligent enough. During militancy, there was a problem that the intellectual class was unable to express themselves; they preferred to remain silent. As the other gun fell silent, Now, people are coming up and are talking sense; they are opening up, this is the success of JKAP.
Q: Could you elaborate on the accomplishments of JKAP for the people of Jammu and Kashmir amid challenging circumstances, especially in their efforts to engage with the Central government?
A: Abrogation of Article 370 had raised concerns about job and land security among the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The people of J&K felt that their exclusive rights over government employment and land ownership rights were snatched. When we approached the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, they carved out a way to give domicile law to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. By this, all government jobs were reserved for the domiciles of Jammu and Kashmir. The domicile law also restricts the alienation of agricultural land in Jammu and Kashmir among the domiciles of this place; thereby, this law restored what was snatched by the abrogation of Article 370.
We see that the people in Ladakh are demanding what we achieved earlier because of the efforts of JKAP and its president Altaf Bukhari. JKAP made efforts for the restoration of telephonic lines, facilitated the shifting of prisoners from other states to Jammu and Kashmir and ultimately they were released from jails, our party persuaded banks to reschedule debts of businessmen, helped in the transportation of agricultural produce from Jammu and Kashmir, we provided leadership at a critical juncture when others were feeling shady and preferred to remain silent.
Q: What is JKAP’s vision for Jammu and Kashmir as it participates in the parliamentary elections in the region?
A: Our vision this time is clear: let’s articulate our problems. Firstly, our statehood has been lost, and we must regain it. Secondly, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been disempowered, and we must empower them by holding assembly elections. Thirdly, our youth are increasingly turning to drugs, and we must save their lives and secure their future. Additionally, we have the potential to generate 20 thousand Mega Watts of electricity, yet we have only seen empty slogans instead of action. We should focus on increasing electricity generation in Jammu and Kashmir. Instead of conflict, we should prioritize dialogue, improvement, and development.
Q: Why has JKAP only announced candidates for two out of the five parliamentary constituencies in J&K, despite expressing the intention to field candidates for all five?
A: For this moment, it is clear that we are contesting two constituencies, for the Baramulla constituency let us see how things unfold.
Q: Did any like-minded parties accept JKAP’s offer for a pre-poll alliance?
A: Many political parties throughout the country want to have alliances, but sometimes it doesn’t happen. I hope that something may emerge.
Q: Where do you figure JKAP in this electoral battle?
A: We are beginners, but the way Jammu and Kashmir Apni party has garnered support from the masses and the way people are joining us, I am hopeful that we will surprise all the political parties.
Q: How do you respond to Omar Abdullah’s statement alleging that JKAP and JKPC are covert alliance partners of BJP in J&K?
Currently, there are two alliances in the country. The BJP’s decision to abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir was not well-received, especially in Kashmir. However, Congress also played a role in undermining Article 370 by gradually eroding its powers. Both parties ultimately contributed to its demise. Omar Abdullah’s past association with the BJP further complicates matters. Now that Article 370 is gone, our focus should be on rebuilding Jammu and Kashmir. If the BJP promises to restore statehood and hold assembly elections, shouldn’t we support it? Similarly, if they pledge to remove AFSPA from Jammu and Kashmir, shouldn’t we also support that? Congress, on the other hand, has not committed to restoring Article 370. Therefore, for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, both BJP and Congress are perceived as two sides of the same coin.
We have our own narrative, the narrative of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, what the people of Jammu and Kashmir need. We follow an agenda for the welfare of Jammu and Kashmir and its people.
