J-K polls: AMM releases election manifesto

Stressing on a meaningful dialogue between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants, Awami Mutahida Mahaz on Friday released its election manifesto, ahead of the assembly polls in the state.

Stressing on a meaningful dialogue between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants, Awami Mutahida Mahaz on Friday released its election manifesto, ahead of the assembly polls in the state.

The manifesto -- "Towards a democratic alternative platform" -- released by Awami Mutahida Mahaz (AMM), an amalgam of small political outfits in the state, promises to address the political and development issues of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"The people of Jammu and Kashmir are facing various stressful problems which have their roots in the political uncertainty and the presence of harsh anti-people laws and acts.

"The political rights of the people have been extremely limited while the administration is bereft of transparency and responsiveness," a statement issued by AMM said.

The manifesto stands for the restoration of all the powers enjoyed by the state till 1952 (restoration of greater autonomy) and stresses on the unity of the state and the delegation of more political and financial powers to all the regions and sub-regions leaving no possibility for the domination of any region, the statement said.

The manifesto also said that there is no military solution to the Kashmir issue and urges both India and Pakistan to show mature statesmanship and resolve the issue by sincere, sustained and meaningful dialogue.

Regarding the issue of Kashmiri migrants, the manifesto says that schemes framed for their return and rehabilitation should be revised and implemented in right earnest and focuses on complete rehabilitation of all those who were forced to migrate from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir in 1947.

Emphasising on the youth of the state, the manifesto lays stress on resolving the various problems faced by them. It demands framing of a comprehensive employment policy, expansion of industrial sector and filling up of vacant positions, besides regularisation of all the casual and contractual workers for addressing the problem of acute unemployment.

"All the prisoners especially the youth, who are not involved in serious crimes, should be released and utmost care should be taken while dealing with law and order situation.

"Public Safety Act, AFSPA and other such acts should be scraped at the earliest while the Chattergam like incidents should not be allowed to occur in future and the responsible security officials should be given exemplary punishment in order to restore the confidence of the people," it added.

It also said the AMM will launch an "un-relented struggle" for the transfer of all the NHPC-owned hydro-electric power projects to the state.

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