Former BJP leader and Union Minister Yashwant Sinha, who is the Opposition’s candidate for the President’s post, on Saturday, arrived in Srinagar and promised to push for the final settlement of the Kashmir issue if elected.
“If I am elected as President, one of my priorities will be to urge the government to take necessary steps to resolve the Kashmir issue permanently and restore peace, justice, normalcy, democracy and end the hostility towards Jammu and Kashmir,” Mr. Sinha said.
Mr. Sinha was received by National Conference chief and Gupkar alliance president Dr. Farooq Abdullah at the Srinagar airport. Dr. Abdullah was seen driving Mr. Sinha to his residence in Srinagar where top leaders, including Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, Jammu and Kashmir Congress president G.A. Mir and CPI(M) leader M.Y. Tarigami, met him.
Briefing journalists in Srinagar after meeting the leaders, Mr. Sinha asked the Centre to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and conduct free and fair Assembly elections at the earliest.
“I am opposed to the forced and manipulative changes in Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir is facing injustice and only few people are aware of the fact that the limited democracy that existed in Jammu and Kashmir has also been murdered, “ he added while ruing the fact that no Assembly elections have been held in Jammu and Kashmir for the past four years.
Expressing solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Sinha said he regretted that the Supreme Court had not even heard the case related to Article 370 and Article 35-A for nearly three years after the Constitution was repealed.
Mr. Sinha also criticised the Centre for its failure “to fulfill the promise to create an atmosphere for the safe return of Kashmiri Pandits”. “The promise must be fulfilled,” he said.
