Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti during a public rally. (Photo: IANS)

Mehbooba Mufti writes to Omar Abdullah and all J&K leaders for united dialogue with PM, Home Minister

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti has written to J&K CM Omar Abdullah and cross-party leaders, proposing a Ladakh-style unified front for dialogue with the Centre.

by · Zee News

PDP President Mehbooba Mufti wrote to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and all other political parties of Jammu and Kashmir for an immediate formal meeting for united sustained dialogue with the PM and HM. Mufti has written to a broad spectrum of political and civil society leaders across Jammu and Kashmir, urging them to come together for a joint and coordinated outreach to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

ALSO READFrom washing dishes to running the state: Who is 'Kalita Didi', Bengal's most inspiring new minister?

In her letter, Mufti reached out to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, BJP Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, JKPCC President Tariq Hameed Karra, CPI(M) leader Mohd. Yousuf Tarigami, People’s Conference Chairman Sajad Gani Lone, MP Engineer Rashid, AAP President Mehraj Malik, PDF Chairman Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen, J&K National Panthers Party President Harsh Dev Singh, Shiv Sena (J&K unit) President Manish Sahni, Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti President Sanjay Tickoo, and Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee Chairman Jaspal Singh.

Mufti has proposed a united political initiative, urging leaders to set aside differences and jointly advocate for the resumption of meaningful dialogue on Jammu and Kashmir. She emphasized that a collective voice is essential to represent the aspirations, grievances, and concerns of the people of the region at the national level.

In a letter to the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti wrote: "I had sought an appointment with you, but due to your preoccupation, it has not been possible. Therefore, I am taking the liberty of writing to you since time is running out and we cannot afford to delay things any further.

Recent breakthroughs achieved by the Leh Apex Body & Kargil Democratic Alliance with the Centre offer an important lesson - only dialogue can deliver meaningful outcomes.

Jammu & Kashmir finds itself yet again at a crossroads in its history where the pervasive feeling of despair & disillusionment has gripped the state. It necessitates a broad consensus above & across party & partisan lines to pull J&K out of the current debilitating stalemate. If we want to restore the dignity & security of our people, a constructive dialogue with Government of India is a much-needed imperative.

The time has come to make a united outreach to the Honourable Prime Minister & Honourable Home Minister and prevail upon them to initiate a sustained dialogue with the people of Jammu & Kashmir.

We must keep our disagreements & contrarian views on the backburner to unite for the common good & collective welfare. This cannot become a matter of appropriating political credit or point scoring. Rather, it must become a moment of unification in the largest interest of people we all claim to represent.

I therefore urge you as head of state to initiate the much-needed process of bringing all parties together through an official meeting. This will set the ball rolling for us to formally reach out to the Central Government. Given the fact that disagreements & squabbling between regional parties have been detrimental to the collective interests of J&K a reasonable consensus, especially post-2019, is the only solution. If Ladakh could do it, so can we.

However, your support is a prerequisite for the success of this political platform. Genuine unity in these difficult, unprecedented times can lead us towards restoring the rights and dignity of our people guaranteed by the Indian Constitution.

Since your busy schedule did not permit us to meet in person, I thought it's best to bring your urgent attention to this matter. I do hope & sincerely request you to immediately call a formal meeting that includes political parties across Jammu & Kashmir. We simply cannot drag our feet any longer.

I am also attaching, for your reference, the list of parties I have reached out to. Kindly feel free to include additional parties that you believe should be part of this initiative. 

Mufti stated Omar Abdullah, being the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, is the head, so the initiative must be taken under him. 

ALSO READ | CBSE activates Class 12 result re-evaluation and marks verification portal after delays: Direct link to apply inside