Altaf Bukhari, a former PDP minister, is the front-runner to head a new political alliance.
Srinagar:The Centre has given a green light to political activities in Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory, minus the Abdullahs and Muftis, informed sources have said.
According to media reports published recently, a new group led by former People’s Democratic Party (PDP) minister Altaf Bukhari is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to advocate for some restoration of rights in Kashmir before they can plunge into elections. The group will go with demands like restoration of statehood, Purpose Oriented Domicile Rights (for Land and Jobs) etc. which fall within the jurisdiction of the Government of India and the Parliament.
According to highly placed sources, the group has the “blessings” of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the Centre is keen that there should be a new political equation in Kashmir. Although this group is demanding the release of all political prisoners, Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah may not be released before elections are held in Jammu and Kashmir, the sources said.
In its recent direction on 29 January, a mega meeting was held in Jammu by several former ministers. It was attended by some prominent lawyers, social activists and academicians. In the meeting, it was decided that Jammu and Kashmir should try to bring itself out of the present mess and should start some visible communication with the Centre at the highest level.
Altaf Bukhari is the front-runner of this new political alliance in which many former ministers and lawmakers from the mainstream political parties showed willingness to contest the elections in the UT of J&K. “This group has the blessings of the Centre and very soon, political activities will start, especially in Kashmir valley,” said one of the former ministers of the Mehbooba Cabinet, who is still loyal to her. He said that the BJP government was trying to divide both the National Conference and PDP to bring a new alliance in power. He described all of them as “stooges of the Centre and intelligence agencies”.
Bukhari and his colleagues are likely to visit New Delhi and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and other ministers. This group is likely to take up issues like release of all political prisoners, including separatists, especially in the backdrop of the recent heart attack suffered by Mian Abdul Qayoom, president of Kashmir Bar Association, in Agra jail.
It is in place to mention that recently the group met Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu and asked him to make the administration responsive to the needs of the common people and ensure time-bound implementation of the demands put forward in the meeting. “We want to move ahead as we cannot remain in perpetual mourning for the abrogation of Article 370. We want the Centre to ease life in Kashmir and release all political prisoners, including separatists and former Chief Ministers,” said one of the prominent members of this group.
The Altaf Bukhari-led group is likely to impress upon the authorities to provide some compensation to different sectors, including agriculture, hoteliers, houseboat owners, etc in J&K.