Srinagar, July 27, KDC: People’s Civil Society has expressed concern over the political controversy surrounding former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s recent remarks on the reported use of pellet guns against student protesters in Delhi and the subsequent demand by the National Conference (NC) for an apology, saying political parties should move beyond partisan exchanges and focus on unresolved legal, political and humanitarian issues concerning the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
In a statement issued on Monday, the organisation said that any debate over pellet guns inevitably brings back memories of their use in Jammu and Kashmir and the impact such crowd-control measures have had on people in the region.
People’s Civil Society said it was a matter of public record that pump-action pellet-firing shotguns were introduced as a crowd-control measure in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2010, during the tenure of the National Conference-led government headed by then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
The organisation said the humanitarian consequences associated with the use of pellet guns continue to resonate with many families across Jammu and Kashmir.
Against this backdrop, the civil society group said demands for apologies between political parties do little to address the larger issue and instead risk reducing a serious humanitarian concern to a political blame game.
“Rather than engaging in political blame games, all political stakeholders should reflect on the human cost associated with the use of excessive force and reaffirm their commitment to ensuring that such measures are never repeated,” the organisation said in the statement.
The remarks come amid a political exchange following Mehbooba Mufti’s comments regarding the reported use of pellet guns against student protesters in Delhi, after which the National Conference sought an apology from the former chief minister.
People’s Civil Society said the debate should not remain confined to which political party should apologise for actions or statements of the past, but should lead to a broader discussion on accountability and the protection of human dignity.
The organisation also referred to promises made by successive mainstream political parties regarding justice, reconciliation and relief for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, alleging that many such commitments remain unfulfilled.
It said a large number of young people continue to face prolonged legal proceedings despite participating in the democratic process, including during the recent Parliamentary and Assembly elections, which witnessed significant voter participation.
According to the statement, such democratic participation should be accompanied by meaningful efforts from elected representatives to address longstanding grievances and unresolved issues.
“Democratic participation must be matched by tangible efforts to address the grievances and aspirations of the people,” People’s Civil Society said.
The organisation urged elected representatives and political parties in Jammu and Kashmir to prioritise long-pending legal, political and humanitarian matters rather than engage in partisan exchanges over statements and actions of the past.
It said people expect their representatives to use democratic institutions to seek solutions to issues affecting their lives and to ensure that political commitments translate into action.
People’s Civil Society further called for accountability to be applied uniformly to political actors irrespective of their party affiliation, arguing that the experiences and suffering of people should not be invoked selectively to score political points.
“The experiences and suffering of the people of Jammu and Kashmir should not be selectively invoked for political convenience,” the statement said.
The organisation maintained that rebuilding and sustaining public confidence would require honesty and accountability from political actors, along with respect for human dignity and a genuine commitment to democratic governance and the rule of law.
It called upon political stakeholders to draw lessons from the past and focus on preventing a recurrence of measures that have caused humanitarian suffering, while working towards resolving issues that continue to affect people across Jammu and Kashmir. (KDC)
