The J&K National Conference’s (JKNC) manifesto released on Monday (August 19, 2024) pledged to push for an India-Pakistan dialogue on Kashmir, introduce laws to protect jobs and land, seek the release of political prisoners, and review the cases of employees terminated over the past five years. It also promised a number of freebies, including gas, electricity, healthcare, and food.
NC vice president Omar Abdullah released the party manifesto for the Assembly elections. which are taking place after 10 years. Jammu and Kashmir’s special status was revoked by the Centre in 2019.
Mr. Abdullah said his party will continue the struggle to restore “Article 370 and 35A.” “We will continue to fight politically for Article 370. The manifesto is an assurance that we will not stay silent on these issues. The Supreme Court (SC) has in the past upheld Article 370 three times. Can’t we expect a situation where the SC will change its recent decision. The BJP did not accept defeat despite three orders by the SC in favour of Article 370. Why should we?” Mr. Abdullah said.
Mr. Abdullah reiterated the party’s goal to introduce a resolution on the restoration of Statehood and the legal status of J&K and to express its dissatisfaction over the revocation of J&K’s special status in the Assembly.
Statehood for Jammu and Kashmir
“We are determined to have Statehood restored. The Government of India has already made this promise to the SC. If it does not restore Statehood willingly, we will pursue justice through the court. With Statehood, the Government of J and K will have the powers required to fulfil promises,” Mr. Abdullah said.
Pledging to “encourage dialogue between India and Pakistan” over the Kashmir issue, the manifesto promised to seek the release of all political prisoners, especially youth, and work towards the restoration of normalcy.
“It is sad that the government did not lift the ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), whose leaders have openly declared that they wish to contest the upcoming elections. The J&K Lieutenant Governor should have worked towards lifting the ban,” Mr. Abdullah said.
Repeal of PSA
The manifesto also seeks to rework the J&K Reorganisation Act 2019, which defines laws pertaining to domicile, land, and jobs. The party also promised the repeal of the Public Safety Act (PSA), a law that deals with preventive detention and has been used against several political leaders to keep them out of circulation. It called for the dignified return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits.
The NC also promised to streamline and simplify police verification for jobs and passports, which has left many without passports. “Several employees were terminated without providing reasons. We will ensure fair treatment and job security for government employees,” the manifesto said. It also promised to restore the old pension scheme, in a bid to reach out to over 4.5 lakh employees.
The NC announced numerous freebies. These include 12 free gas cylinders, 200 units of free electricity, free education up to university, and one lakh jobs. A revamp of the public distribution system is planned to increase the rice quota, and make sugar and kerosene available at depots.
Making Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences autonomous once again will be the centrepiece of a health infrastructure drive. Village and mohalla clinics are also planned to cover basic healthcare and emergency care needs. A medical trust will provide free insurance coverage of ₹5 lakh per year for terminal diseases like cancer, heart disease, and kidney transplants.
Economic plans
“The manifesto is not just an election document. It’s the agenda of governance and a roadmap for the next five years to bring about change. We are making promises that are achievable,” Mr. Abdullah said.
To protect agriculture, restrictions will be sought on the import of apples. This will involve an increase in the minimum assessment value of imported apples and a minimum support price for apples for domestic farmers.
As part of an urban revival initiative, the manifesto mentions alternative transportation, satellite townships, regularisation of colonies, a gondola system to connect Takht-i-Sulaiman (Shankaracharya Hill) with Koh-e Maran (Hari Parbat Fort), river transport, and addressing issues plaguing the Smart City projects.
An industrial initiative seeks to establish industrial parks and special economic zones and encourage the responsible mining of lithium, sapphire and marble. Payment of royalties for previously mined resources will also be pursued in accordance with a recent Supreme Court order.
