Calling for a national consensus on resolution of Kashmir and the issues of Jammu & Kashmir, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti, today urged the speaker of the Lok Sabha (LS), Sumitra Mahajan, to provide adequate space to the representatives from Jammu & Kashmir to connect with the parliament and rest of the country with their accumulated problems.According to a statement issued, while speaking on the election of, Mahajan, as the Speaker of the parliament, Mehbooba said though J&K is electorally a small state with just six members in the LS, it deserves greater accommodation in view of the problems this state has been facing ever since independence. “Though we are a small state, but it faces more problems than the rest of the country,” said Mehbooba.
The PDP president said the representatives from J&K are charged with greater responsibilities as the people who vote for them face tremendous odds in doing so. She said the recent elections have particularly generated a new atmosphere of hope in the state and people at large expect their representatives to deliver in terms of filling the trust deficit with rest of the country, resolving their problems and bringing a positive change in their lives.Mehbooba said with more than 350 first time members in the LS the House reflects the change in the country and we expect that this freshness of representation also proves refreshing for the biggest challenges that the country faces in J&K. She expressed the hope that a new and positive approach towards the problems of J&K would mark the change in the complexion of the House. Mehbooba said Kashmir faces acute problems of development deficit and unemployment which need to be addressed with understanding and consideration
Referring to Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s, remarks that he would follow the Vajpayee line in dealing with J&K; Mehbooba said the strong mandate that he has received in the LS elections should hopefully help his government in adopting a bold approach to the problems of the state. “Vajpayee had said that Kashmir issue will be resolved within the ambit of humanity (Insanyet Kay Dairey Ma Kashmir Maslay Ka Hal Nikalaey Geay). Also to address the external dimension of Kashmir problem Vajpaee had adopted policy of reconciliation saying (Hum Doost Badel Saktay Hain Humsaya Nahi),” she added.She said Kashmir has always presented a moral and political challenge to all the prime ministers and it is hoped that the initative taken by Prime Minister Vajpayee are carried forward both in respect of mending the relations with Pakistan and also resolving Kashmir.