We will fight for restoration of Article 370, Statehood: PC

Sajad Lone releases election manifesto, promises judicial commission in 1987 election rigging

Vows end to blacklisting of Kashmiris for government jobs and unjustified terminations

Mubashir Alam

Srinagar, Sep 05 (KNO): Stating that they are committed to fight for restoration of Article 370, Article 35A and statehood, Peoples Conference on Thursday promised a judicial commission to probe electoral rigging of 1987.

In its election manifesto, which was released by the party president Sajad Gani Lone and senior leaders today, the party said that it is committed to fight for the pre- 2019 constitutional position for J&K.“It will support all efforts within and outside the legislative forums to restore the pre-2019 constitutional position of J&K,” reads the party’s manifesto, a copy of which is in possession of news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

The PC, which had challenged abrogation of Article 370 in the Supreme Court, said that “it stands by its commitment to undertake all exhaustive measures to pursue the cause of the restoration of Article 370 and the return of Statehood”.

The party promised setting up a judicial commission to probe rigging of 1987 assembly elections.

“We will set-up a judicial commission to probe the murder of democracy in 1987 and hold its perpetrators accountable. It is our firm belief, that the source of major socio-political instability that continues to mar Kashmir even today, is a derivative of that one cataclysmic event. The Great Robbery of 1987 – that of our rights, our young, our lives and our collective destiny needs to be brought to account,” reads the manifesto.

The party promised to put an end to blacklisting of Kashmiris by security agencies, saying the practice that debars them from getting government jobs, passports and contracts is inhuman and regrettable.

The PC also committed that it would strive to end arbitrary attachment of properties, destructive demolition drives and unwarranted terminations.

In its manifesto, the party said it “will strive to repeal the Public Safety Act (PSA) and other draconian laws which have been indiscriminately used to punish Kashmiris in the past three decades”.

The party said that it will revive July 13 Martyrs day holiday to safeguard the ethos associated with Kashmiris.

In its manifesto, the party also talked about free electricity to BPL families, land ownership rights to poor dwellers, waiving off KCC loans, fast-track recruitments, revival of old pension scheme, transfer policy for female ReT teachers—(KNO)