If PDP wins 44 seats we will resolve Kashmir issue

-
Waheed-ur-Rehman Para hails from Tahab village in the south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. He has studied International Peace and Conflict Studies and was awarded Peace Scholarship by the SIT Graduate Institute, Vermont USA. He has also been involved with various youth related activities in J&K and is presently the president of PDP youth wing. In a candid chat with of Rising Kashmir's Online Editor, Daanish Bin Nabi, he shares his views about the future of Kashmir amidst growing resentment against the incumbent government. Excerpts:



•    We are open for poll alliance 
•    I viewed Omar Abdullah as Obama 
•    PDP is working on self sufficiency and Hurriyat is working for self determination 
•    We need proper institution before as well as after ‘Azadi’ 
•    We have drafted a comprehensive youth agenda 
•    There can be no self determination until we are not self sufficient


·         You are considered to be a Young Turk in Kashmiri’s political circles. What is your opinion about it?
I do not consider myself a Young Turk of Kashmir politics. These terms are the creation of media and I personally don’t believe on such things. Presently, my prime focus is to show an enlightened path to aimless youth of Kashmir. My vision is to give dignity back to Kashmiri youth and to connect youth with mainstream politics. We have a generational gap here. We have 65 percent youth population which are very aggressive and direction-less. Our society has degraded in every possible way. Kashmiri society does not fit in 21st century because of the turmoil and repressive and exploitative regimes we have in Kashmir from past 65 years. As a young Kashmiri, it is my responsibility to contribute towards the society in an honest and upright manner. When we travel outside Kashmir, we can see how we lack in every aspect of development and we also witness tension free atmosphere. Majority of youth are angry with present system and it is they who become stone pelters because they do not fit with conventional leadership and they also do not fit in the present economical, social and political system. They desperately want change and we are here to bridge the gap.
·         Does it mean stone pelting takes place because of unemployment and economic issue?
Absolutely not; we also have political uncertainty here and we need to address it in a proper way.
·         Is PDP open for poll alliance?
Certainly yes, we are open for poll alliance. But we cannot form alliance with NC. They have their own programs and agendas. We can form alliance only with other parties or individuals when both of us have a common minimum program.
·         Why didn’t you join any other mainstream party?
When we see history of PDP, the party has done a lot for Kashmir and it people. It is pro-people and anti status quo party. Without a big mandate PDP can claim that they have restored dignity for Kashmiri. As a young dynamic person, in 2008, I viewed Omar Abdullah as Obama and had lot of expectation from him. I thought he would understand the aspirations of the youth of Kashmir. But unfortunately he did nothing for people, and especially youth. If we look at the three years of turmoil that is 2008, 2009, 2010 it was only the youth killed in large numbers. First and last casualty of his government was youth. He talked with them (youth) through barrel of gun like chilly guns, pellet guns and did not come up with any measure to rescue them. He hates youth and youth equally hate him. Here, PDP was the only alternative. Whether changes is met or not but he has already witnessed their anger. Our primary task is the safety of Kashmiri youth.
·         Why not Hurriyat camp?
There is no doubt that Hurriyat people brought Kashmir political scenario in limelight and politicized the issue very well on international stage. But in Hurriyat camp, I couldn’t have served people better. As a youth, if I had associated myself with Hurriyat, I would have taken two more people to jail with me. But in mainstream, I can save people from PSAs. I do not want to add pain and victimhood to the people. Every youth here wants to become Geelani Sahab which is not possible. We need proper institution before as well as after “azadi”. PDP is working on self sufficiency and Hurriyat is working for self determination.  The whole idea is we can only determine self when we are self sufficient. There can be no self determination until we are not self sufficient. That is the reason I didn’t joined Hurriyat camp.
·         How do you view today’s youth?
Youth are in a very sorry state of affairs today. Our youth are either in depression or are drug addicts.  Our efficient and deserving youth is in depression.
·         So, what is the PDP’s agenda for youth?
We have a drafted comprehensive youth agenda. I proudly say that ours is the only party in the entire sub-continent that has a comprehensive agenda for youth. We are rigorously working on ground with the young. We have launched a campaign to understand the mindset of youth. We have drafted policy for youth but we have apprehensions that if we publicise it Omar Abdullah will claim it to be NC’s youth policy. We were waiting for parliamentary elections to be over. Omar Sahibs only policy is to have no policy.
·          What are the achievements of PDP?
To claim that we are the change is wrong. On ground from 2002 to 2008, we were able to give people of Kashmir a sense of human security. Mufti Sahib disbanded notorious SOG, POTA and it was PDP who institutionalized J&K Police. We had given the best governance and lifted the siege from Kashmir like Carvan-e- Aman. Political transition took place with only 13 seats in 2002. If we get a bigger mandate this time around I am sure we can bring a real change to the people of Kashmir. And I challenge, if we are able to pull up all the 44 seats we will resolve the Kashmir issue.



Published on 14/06/2014

Popular posts from this blog

Denial of democracy has been the ongoing story of Kashmir: Jalal

-
Image
Newsroom Trial You have to choose your method of struggle intelligently: Bose  Ayesha Jalal  and  Sugata Bose , two noted scholars and historians and renowned academics and authors from America visited ‘Rising Kashmir’ on June 21 to interact with members of the newspaper’s editorial staff and reporters. The duo delivered brief talks which focussed on the politics of identity, regional identity, the question of minorities, intellectual history of ideas in South Asia, the K-issue and the way forward,   ‘rise of religious majoritarianism in India’, and China’s economic expansion, etc .    The session was moderated by  Editor-in-Chief  Dr Shujaat Bukhari . Ayesha Jalal, a Pakistani-born American Professor and Director, Center for South Asian and Indian Ocean Studies, Tufts University, said that Kashmir was not a question of religion for her. Jalal is grandniece of the renowned Urdu fiction writer Saadat Hasan Manto and a recipient of ‘...
Read more

House of Mirwaiz

-
Image
The first family of Kashmir Daanish Bin Nabi Kashmir has a number of religious institutions. One among them is the seat of Mirwaiz —which literally means head-preacher. In contemporary Islamic world this seat of “power” does not exist nor does it exercise so much influence as it does in Kashmir. This ‘Seat of Power’ is almost seven hundred years old and was recognized soon after the Muslim rule was established in Valley. There are no authentic sou rces during whose rule ‘ title Mirwaiz’ was officially introduced. Though many imminent contemporary Kashmiri historian are of the view that the title was introduced during Afghan regime. Conversely, the term Mirwaiz is not mentioned in Sir Walter Lawrence Classic, The Valley of Kashmir published in 1895, which is considered to be one of the authentic sources on modern Kashmir history. On other hand noted writer Zareef Ahmad Zareef says, “Ancestors of Mirwaiz travelled to Kashmir with caravan of Mir Syed Ali Hamadani (com...
Read more

Kashmir has an excellent future: Vijay Dhar

-
Image
Family of   Vijay Dhar   is one among those few who chose to return couple of years after the migration of Pandit community in early 1990 from Kashmir. Vijay is son of well-known Kashmiri politician Late Durga Prasad Dhar. He studied at Jamia Millia Islamia Delhi and has remained active in politics and social life. He came back to Kashmir in 1992 and settled here only after 1998. He decided to set up DP Dhar Trust in the same year to contribute in the field of education. By now Delhi Public School which he established in Srinagar a few years ago has made a mark. In an exclusive interview to  Rising Kashmir's   Online Editor,   Daanish Bin Nabi , Dhar talks about his homecoming and setting up of DP Dhar Memorial Trust. ·          Pandits have to come back ultimately; Valley is safe ·          We should introspect rather than blaming others     ·  ...
Read more