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Written by: Press Trust of Kashmir

Created: 02 April 2019

SRINAGAR: Congress party has released in 2019 manifesto, encompassing the issues it promises to address. Keeping Jammu and Kashmir as a crucial aspect of their manifesto, Congress has accentuated on the various issues of the state. In its manifesto that was released on Tuesday, the Congress said said that Dialogue was the only way forward for the resolution of Kashmir issue. “Dialogue is the only way to understand the aspirations of the people of the 3 regions of Jammu and Kashmir and to find an honourable solution to their issues. We will take that path,” the manifesto states.

“The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and the Disturbed Areas Act in J&K will be reviewed. Suitable changes will be made in the text of the laws to balance the requirements of security and the protection of human rights,” it added. If the promise about amending AFSPA left a little to the imagination when Congress was talking about Kashmir, in the later portion of the manifesto, Congress toes an all out separatist line of accusing the Indian Army of heinous crimes like sexual violence in the Valley owing to AFSPA.

The Congress manifesto says that the AFSPA would be amended to strike a balance between security and human rights. It then goes on to say that it would “remove immunity for enforced disappearances, sexual violence and torture”. The Congress thus implies that the Indian Army indulges in torture of the innocent, enforced disappearances of the innocent and rape of women in the Kashmir valley.

Incidentally, this is the exact propaganda that is spread by Pakistan to ensure disenchantment in the Kashmiri population towards India and is also the same line toed by Kashmiri terrorists and separatists to justify terrorism. In their manifesto, they said that the party has been witness to the developments in the conflicted state since the Instrument of Accession that was signed on October 26, 1947. It further affirmed that 'the whole of Jammu and Kashmir is a part of India'

Maintaining their stand on Article 370 of the Constitution, the party ascertained that 'nothing will be done or allowed to change the Constitutional position'. Here are the brief points mentioned in the manifesto: Engage in dialogue with people of Jammu and Kashmir to find an 'honourable solution' to their issues.  Two prolonged approaches will be adopted, firstly firmness on the border and ending infiltration, secondly 'absolute fairness' to deal with the demands of people.

Review the deployment of Armed Forces, and the party plans to move more troops to the border to curb infiltration and furthermore reduce the presence of Army and CAPFs in the valley while entrusting more responsibility on the shoulders of the Jammu and Kashmir police. The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and the Disturbed Areas Act in the state will be reviewed and 'suitable' changes will be made to balance the requirement of security and 'protection of Human Rights'

The project of inclusiveness thus looks for 'innovative federal solutions' and dialogue with stakeholders in the state.  Appointment of 3 'interlocutors' drawn from civil society to engage in talks without 'pre-conditions'. The grand old party had initiated a consultation process across the country and many of its top leaders had interacted with a host of people from different sections to seek their views on their aspirations from the party. The party's manifesto committee was headed by former Finance Minister P Chidambaram. As per the party’s official estimates, it has received a total of 31,875 inputs on its official manifesto website.