Win hearts, minds of people : KPSG urges PM Narendra Modi

New Delhi, Jan 23 : Chairman Kashmir Policy and Strategy Group (KPSG) Ashok Bhan today urged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to engage with stakeholders and win the hearts and minds of people.

According to a press release, he was addressing a civil society meeting here. Former governors, academicians, civil servants and strategic community members participated in the meeting.

“After the successful Pran Prathishta for the abode of Lord Ram in Ayodhya Nagri,the expectations for Gharvapsi of seven hundred thousand Kashmiri Pandits have skyrocketed. The native Kashmiri community living in exile for last 34 years are longing to return home -the Valley,”Bhan said,

Bhan stated that a dialogue with the stakeholders and a intra- community dialogue will help in giving a closure to the sordid and brutal phase of societal devastation, death and destruction that has engulfed the larger south Asian region in general and Jammu and Kashmir in particular.

“The Kashmir Valley carries a historical burden in a social context. The people are carrying the burden as victims of conflict from 1947 and continuing consequences of armed insurgency resulting in exile of the religious minority and killings innocent civilians in the violence,”he said.

He added that the constitutionalism that “our country practices the democracy through adult franchise is a rule and governor rule is an exception.” “If we go by the ground level claims of union government and LG administration the time has come to give legitimate right to democracy to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The elections to the assembly can be held along with the ensuing parliamentary elections,” he said.

B N Singh echoed that if the ground level reports about situation in Jammu and Kashmir in public domain are to be believed then should this not be an opportune time to hold the elections along with Lok Sabha elections to save administrative hassle and use tax payers’ money appropriately besides respect the Supreme Court directions.

Dr M M Ansari while thanking the participants said if the current government thought process is one nation one elections then Kashmir provides an opportunity for simultaneous elections to J&K legislature and general elections to the Parliament.