Ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, given the current political climate, it is crucial to comparatively analyse the main points of the election manifestos of the key regional parties.
An 18-member Manifesto Committee prepared the 44-page manifesto of the National Conference (NC). It opens with a couplet from a poem by Hafeez Jalandhri, followed by notes from party president Dr Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah.
On the other hand, the 24-page manifesto of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) begins with a note by Mehbooba Mufti. Unlike the NC, the PDP manifesto does not list the names of its constituent members.
The NC's core demand is internal autonomy, while the PDP advocates for self-rule, which entails minimal interference from the central government in governance matters.
Restoration of Special Status
Both the regional parties are vocally opposed to the revocation of Article 370 and are promising to restore the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
In this regard, the PDP states, "The unconstitutional and illegal revocation of Articles 370 and 35A in 2019 has further complicated the Kashmir issue, deepening the alienation felt by the people of the region. The PDP is resolute in its pursuit of restoring the constitutional guarantees that were unjustly scrapped and is committed to restoring Jammu & Kashmir to its original status, ensuring that the voices of its people are heard and their rights are safeguarded."
However, the party does not provide a clear roadmap for achieving this restoration, merely stating its intent to do so. In contrast, the NC has outlined a specific plan of action.
For instance, as soon as the assembly is constituted, the NC, as its first order of business, intends to prioritise passing a resolution against the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status and statehood.
Additionally, the party promises to pursue the Autonomy Resolution of the year 2000 which was unanimously passed by the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly. It also aims to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, and the Transaction of Business of the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Rules, 2019.
On Minorities
Jammu and Kashmir has a Muslim majority, while its minorities include Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, and Buddhists.
Unlike other states in India, violence against minorities in J&K is not typically associated with communal riots but with militancy. During the peak of militancy in the 1990s, many Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave their homes in the Valley. Addressing the honourable return of Kashmiri Pandits involves considering their religious, political, and economic needs.
The National Conference (NC) has called for the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to heal the wounds of Kashmiri Pandits who fled during the 1990s.
Additionally, there is a proposal for reservations for Sikhs in government jobs similar to that for non-Kashmiri migrants under SRO 425, as well as a political reservations for Sikhs, including one assembly seat each in the Kashmir and Jammu provinces.
The People's Democratic Party (PDP) is concentrating on rehabilitating Kashmiri Pandits by establishing facilities for their religious practices and renovating existing one-bedroom flats for returning Pandits. Their agenda also includes implementing specific minority welfare benefits and refurbishing religious sites.
Immediate Plan after Assuming Power
Political parties often create emergency plans for the first hundred days, three months, or six months after coming to power, focusing on key issues that they believe are crucial for the people.
The National Conference has outlined three key issues they intend to address on an emergency basis if they form the government:
Passing a resolution as their first order of business against the central government's decision to downgrade Jammu and Kashmir to a Union Territory and revoke its special status
Enacting a Youth Employment Generation Act within the first three months
Filling government vacancies within 180 days of forming the government
In contrast, while the PDP manifesto does not outline a specific plan for the first 100 days or six months after forming the government, it does propose providing a one-time waiver for existing Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans to offer immediate financial relief, though no time frame is specified.
Other key points in their one-year plan include filling government vacancies within a year and regularising daily wage workers.
Generation of the Local Economy
Jammu and Kashmir primarily has an agrarian economy, with a significant portion of it reliant on tourism.
The region's hydroelectric projects, particularly those in the Chenab Valley, hold great potential for bolstering the local economy. However, most of these projects are currently under the control of the central government. The regional parties have long demanded that these projects be transferred to the state government to enhance the local economy.
Some other important points regarding the same are as follows.
NC: Creation of SEZs to provide an enabling environment for investors and industrial status to the tourism sector, the establishment of a hospitality and tourism university, and sustainable mining exploration of lithium and sapphire.
It also promises to devise a policy for the landless and for those who have had uninterrupted possession of state lands. Remember that after independence, Jammu and Kashmir implemented exemplary land reforms unmatched by any other state in India, with the exception of Kerala.
PDP: Promotion of J&K's rich cultural heritage and the creation of pedestrian-only zones in Jammu and Srinagar. Designation of special tourism zones, the inclusion of J&K into the special economic category, and a demand for the revival of cross-LOC trade.
It was during the PDP and Congress coalition government that the LOC bus service was initiated in 2005, followed by the start of cross-border trade in 2008 along the Poonch-Rawalakote and Uri-Muzaffarabad routes.
Additionally, the central government's new reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir has ignited intense debate in the region, particularly among the youth from the Open Category who have expressed strong dissatisfaction. In this regard, the National Conference has indicated its intention to revise the current reservation policy, while the PDP has remained silent on the matter.
(Mohd Arshid Chauhan is a Research Scholar at JNU. The views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for them.)
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