During her first meeting with the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370, and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti demanded reservation of Assembly seats for displaced Kashmiri Pandits. She said that the displacement of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley was a blot on Kashmiri Muslims, and it should be removed.
Addressing a press conference after meeting Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Mehbooba Mufti said she raised several issues, including the political empowerment of Kashmiri Pandits, the release of detainees from jails in view of Eid, and the involvement of locals in the smooth conduct of the Amarnath Yatra.
"Kashmiri Pandits need to be empowered politically, and for that, reservation must be ensured. This is how we can achieve real integration," she said, adding that she told the Lieutenant Governor to convey to the Centre the need for reserved seats rather than nominated positions for Kashmiri Pandits.
The PDP chief also emphasized that the return of Kashmiri Pandits is not possible without empowering the community and that it is time to work collectively to remove the stigma on Kashmiri Muslims regarding their exodus from the Valley.
Submits Memorandum to LG
Mehbooba Mufti also submitted a memorandum to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, with a copy forwarded to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
"I write to you today regarding a matter of vital importance to Jammu and Kashmir's social and cultural fabric — the dignified return and rehabilitation of our Kashmiri Pandit brethren," she stated in her letter.
"This issue goes beyond politics and touches the very core of our collective conscience. It is a moral imperative and a societal responsibility to ensure that our Pandit brothers and sisters, who were tragically displaced from their homeland, are provided with the opportunity to return in a manner that is dignified, secure, and sustainable," the memorandum reads.
Mehbooba Mufti argued that every political party in Jammu and Kashmir, regardless of ideology, has consistently supported the idea of the return of Kashmiri Pandits.
"The shared pain of their displacement and the yearning for reconciliation bind us all in the belief that Kashmir can once again be a place where communities coexist peacefully," she said, adding, "To facilitate meaningful progress on this front, an inclusive and phased roadmap has been attached for your consideration. This proposal emphasizes an all-stakeholders approach, ensuring that any policy or plan is rooted in empathy, mutual trust, and, most importantly, the on-ground realities."
She urged the Governor to initiate a dialogue-driven process involving representatives from the community, civil society, local leaders, and relevant administrative agencies.
"Only through inclusive deliberations can we chart a future where no community feels alienated in their own land," she observed.
"Omar is weakening elected government in J&K"
When asked whether the National Conference-led government was so weak that she had to approach the Lieutenant Governor to address these issues, Mehbooba Mufti responded that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah himself was weakening the elected government in Jammu and Kashmir.
Pointing to the controversy surrounding the Waqf Amendment Bill, she said that the Chief Minister, instead of addressing the serious issue, chose to welcome a Union Minister at the Tulip Garden. "Still, I raised these demands with the Chief Minister as well. Let's see what the government can do," she said, revealing that she had already submitted a memorandum to Omar Abdullah too.
