KL Report
JAMMU
Senior PDP leader and the party candidate for Rajpora constituency, Dr Haseeb Drabu Sunday said PDP has not only emerged as a representative voice of all the regions in Jammu and Kashmir, but all the religions as well. He said PDP would end the exploitation of religious minorities in JK by ensuring constitutional and legislative framework for their political and economic empowerment.
“With almost all the religious minorities including Sikhs and Kashmiri Pandits having extended support to the PDP’s inclusive agenda of peace and progress, the party has now emerged as a genuine and legitimate regional representative voice in the State,” Dr Drabu said while interacting with Kashmiri migrant Pandits here.
He said PDP is committed to safeguard the distinctive cultural, social and religious identity of the minorities including Kashmiri Pandits. “It is a misplaced notion that the Kashmiri Pandits are migrants as if they have migrated elsewhere of their own will. They are a displaced community and have every right to return to their native place with honor and dignity,” he said and added that a process has to be initiated to restore the composite diverse society of Kashmir into which Kashmiri Pandits will be a natural and welcome fit.
Dr Drabu said unfortunately all the initiatives about the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits so far have descended into abysmal din of impassioned personal and political statements, as nobody seems to be making a sincere effort towards their political and economic empowerment. “The Kashmiri Pandits can’t be used as a political tool, they have to be reintegrated and absorbed in the Kashmiri milieu with dignity,” he said and added that the real challenge lies in creating favorable conditions for reconciliation, rehabilitation and reintegration.
He said the Central and state governments owe an apology to the Kashmiri Pandits for the silence on their plight. “It needs political will to start a dialogue that is based on a legal framework of citizenship and constitutional rights of citizens irrespective of religion or ethnic group,” he said and assured that the PDP government would take tangible measures in this direction.
Dr Drabu urged all the political parties, members of the civil society, especially the young men and women across religious divide, to commit themselves to working towards restoring mutual trust and rebuilding a community in Kashmir.
“Alongside this process, the political parties must build a consensus on giving the Kashmiri Pandits assured political empowerment through a legitimate space in the legislative and governance system of the State,” he said and assured the community that PDP would work towards their holistic welfare.
PDP youth wing president Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra also spoke on the occasion.
