Srinagar: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said the resolution passed by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly for restoration of special status to the erstwhile state was a “half-hearted” effort which could have been written “in a better way”.
“We believe the language of this resolution could have been better. There is no condemnation of abrogation of Article 370 in this resolution. They (NC) talk about holding dialogue for restoration of the special status. What is the dialogue for? Do they have any doubt that what happened on August 5, 2019 was wrong? I would say it was a half-hearted effort,” Mufti told reporters here.
The PDP president said it was “sad” that the resolution did not term the abrogation as illegal.
“There is a need to correct the language of the resolution. The PDP will do it,” she added.
The former chief minister said the PDP’s move to bring the resolution on restoration of special status on the first day of the session had forced the ruling National Conference to bring its resolution today.
“They have brought this resolution because the PDP brought a resolution earlier,” she claimed.
Asked if the PDP was seeking credit for the passage of the resolution, the former chief minister said it is not about “credit or debit”.
“We promised people that if you elect us, we will do it. We fulfilled that promise and maybe the NC has done it under pressure,” she said.
The PDP president said her party has proved that numbers do not matter.
“What matters is honesty in what you promise and what you do,” she added.
PDP youth leader and MLA Pulwama Waheed-ur-Rehman Para said the resolution proposed by National Conference leader and Deputy CM Surinder Singh Choudhary added insult to the injuries inflicted upon people of Jammu & Kashmir by New Delhi on August 05, 2019.
Taking to micro-blogging site X (formerly Twitter) Para said that surrender can never be a struggle.
“The National Conference’s (NC) latest resolution, as proposed by the Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister, does nothing but add insult to the injury inflicted upon the people of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019. By presenting this inert and hollow resolution, the NC has once again betrayed the historical will of the Kashmiri people, trading autonomy for appeasement and integrity for rhetoric”.
Para said the resolution wrapped in “meaningless platitudes” about reaffirming special status and expressing concern is not only an exercise in empty semantics, but a farcical eyewash.
“This resolution, wrapped in meaningless platitudes about “reaffirming” special status and “expressing concern,” is not only an exercise in empty semantics—it is a farcical eyewash. The language of this proposal is so deliberately vague that it holds no real substance or commitment. Terms like “constitutional guarantees” are dangerously ambiguous, creating the illusion of commitment while giving no clear path to action or protection. Legal documents that rely on such vague language are nothing more than a deceitful farce, intended to mislead, pacify, and ultimately, betray. By offering a resolution that says everything and nothing all at once, the NC has shown its willingness to obscure the truth from the people, choosing to deceive rather than defend,” he wrote on X.
“This move by NC is a grave betrayal, a calculated attempt to distance themselves from the legacy of autonomy they once championed. In effect, this resolution is NC’s final act of surrender on the Autonomy Resolution of 2000—a promise they once heralded, now reduced to hollow words buried in the soil of political expediency,” he said on X.
Para said that his party cannot be silent. “The PDP cannot and will not remain silent in the face of this blatant capitulation. We reject this vague, toothless proposal and are moving a notice to amend the resolution so that it reflects the true spirit of the Kashmiri people’s struggle, aligning with their unwavering commitment to justice and self-respect. This Assembly deserves a resolution that speaks plainly and decisively, not one that hides behind ambiguous wording designed to appease those who stripped us of our rights,” he said.
The PDP leader suggested a few amendments in the resolution, and called to uphold the integrity of the Assembly and the legacy of people of Jammu & Kashmir.
“The following amendments are essential: In Point 1: In the resolution brought by the Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister, replace the words “expresses concern over their” with “opposes and rejects the”. Vague expressions of “concern” only dilute our stand; the language must reflect a firm, unequivocal rejection of the unilateral removal of our constitutional safeguards,” he said.
“In Point 2: Point Number 2 should demand direct action, not empty negotiations. We propose: This Assembly calls upon the Government of India to rescind the J&K Reorganization Act 2019, a law unilaterally imposed, and to restore Article 370 along with all allied constitutional guarantees in their original, undiluted form. This is a demand, not a suggestion, to correct the historic injustice inflicted upon the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
“In Point 3: The third point must be explicit in its call for the re-establishment of our special status as it once was. We propose: This Assembly resolves that any process of restoration must prioritize the re-establishment of the State’s special status as it existed, in strict alignment with the resolution previously endorsed by this House on July 4, 2000, as demanded by the Kashmiri people,” he added.
The PDP leader held that these amendments are not mere adjustments, they are a rejection of NC’s betrayal and a call to uphold the integrity of this Assembly and the legacy of our people.
“This House must remember that surrender cannot and will never be equated with struggle. The people of Jammu and Kashmir demand a resolution that speaks boldly, that rejects the use of vague and misleading language, and that honors the sacrifices of countless generations who have fought for their rights and dignity,” Parra said.
“Let this House stand firm and reject these symbolic gestures, for the people deserve nothing less than the truth—a resolution that genuinely commits to the pursuit of justice, autonomy, and the protection of their identity,” he said on X.
