Kashmir Magazine By : Kashmir Magazine | Srinagar, Publication Date: Friday, September 10, 2021 7:49:32 PM | Updated Date : Saturday, September 11, 2021 10:29:16 AM
Lately, we have seen a new political party trying to make space in the fragile political spectrum of Jammu and Kashmir, which has been named as “Workers Party”. Its president Mir Junaid had a brief interview about the party’s agenda vis-à-vis Jammu and Kashmir, its position of restoration of Article 370 and Statehood to J&K and much more, with our Correspondent. Here are the Excerpt of the interview.
Q: First of all, tell us about your background, political history and your journey so far?
I am Mir Junaid the President of Jammu Kashmir Workers Party. I come from a small village in Handwara called Langate. I am a lawyer by education and was the first politician to establish a political party post Article 370 and 35A abrogations.
I have been in politics for 12 years now and started my political journey from student politics where I became the first elected president of the Student’s Union. I have been working for the strengthening of grassroots democracy in Kashmir for more than 4 years now.
Q: How you started your political journey?
As I mentioned that I started my political journey from Kashmir University where I became the first ever elected President of the Student’s Union. I was the first student President who was able to muster a support of students of the University and its subsidiary colleges.
Q: What made you to create your own political party and that too is such a fragile region?
What made me make my own political party was the fact that Kashmir has been facing a political crisis for three decades now and none of the political parties of Jammu and Kashmir have been either honest or democratic enough to help the people on ground. I started this party to provide a common platform to enthusiastic political minds who are free of political baggage and corruption so that Kashmir can find a dynamic political representation which will work on ground to untangle the complications which the dynastic politics has brought to Jammu and Kashmir.
Q: What is the agenda of your political party?
The agenda of our political party is the development of Jammu and Kashmir into a world-class economy with absolute social and political harmony. The Party wants to work on the development of corruption free institutions right from the grassroots and also help in bringing peace and joy into the lives of long suffering populations of Jammu and Kashmir.
Q: What is your party's position on article 370 and 35-A?
We believe that Indian Constitution is the best Constitution in the world which is flexible enough for managing the diversity of India. Articles 370 and 35-A stood like the Berlin Wall between J&K and rest of India which deprived Kashmir of the benefits of globalisation and privatisation. We think if the Constitution of India is made to function in a transparent manner in Kashmir, Article 370 & 35A are going to be a distant memory in the minds of Kashmiris very soon.
Q: What is your party's position on restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir?
Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir has to come when the time is right. At this point the priority must be to set the house in order and employ policies which assure the transparent functioning of institutions and the institutions help in gaining public confidence. Statehood needs a capable leadership which can steer the people towards positivity and constructivism. The dynasts are not concerned with service but are just pointing out macroscopic temporary situations to muster popular support for elections. Or else they very well know that statehood or no statehood their policy remains to fill their homes and disorient masses towards destruction.
Q: Is your party going to contest assembly election, if held and what would be your party's manifesto?
Definitely our party is going to contest the elections and we will presenting our manifesto once the elections are announced. Our main targets will be employment and peace building which we think need to be assured for further development of the region. Also, the basic supplies of electricity, connectivity and transport which still are a dream for many need to be arranged for every citizen of the region and we have a plan all set for providing these services. Further, other details will be mentioned in the manifesto once it is released.
Q: If your party is going to fight for the restoration of article 370, 35-A and statehood to J&K, how you plan to do it?
This is not a fight. The people who claim that they are fighting are bigots who resort to double speech to maintain their balance. Article 370 is a discriminatory article and so is 35A. What is there to fight? Exclusive rights over land? Which takes out foreign and national investment? These isolating articles are absolutely against the economic development of Jammu and Kashmir. Statehood is going to come and when we feel that the things are feasible for the restoration of statehood, we will raise our voice. But I don’t think there will be a delay then. For now Kashmir is functioning normal and robustly.
Q: What is your take on PAGD and Apni party?
PAGD is a gimmick and a drama created to portray the dynasts as the saviours of people which they are not. All they are is opportunists who want to save their faces while they are desperate to get back power. Apni Party is the old wine in a new bottle with its leadership filled with corrupt leaders who have betrayed the people in past.
Q: Knowing that Kashmir being a fragile region and a conflict zone, how do you see your party gaining a political space here?
The fragility of Kashmir is often over-hyped. Change is never easy and it has to have a start. We are confident that we will be able to find space as we have faith in the understanding capabilities of our people. We are honest and are not fooling anyone. We are open to the youth and welcome all the people to join and achieve their political ambitions conditioned to honesty and discipline. It is a long journey but we are here to stay and complete it.