Srinagar: PDP’s youth wing on Tuesday met and interacted with their party president, Mehbooba Mufti in Srinagar.
It was the first meeting with youth cadre after abrogation of Articles and bifurcating and downgrading the state to UT.
For the first time after revocation of Articles 370 & 35A, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) youth leaders met party president to deliberate on several issues in Srinagar.
It is pertinent to mention here that earlier, PDP leaders mainly from its youth cadre were detained and then released off on bail for holding a peaceful protest against the land laws and regulations being implemented in the UT.
While deliberating on the issues and future prospects of the party functionary and the idea, various youth leaders from all segments of the UT put forth their views and suggestions.
“There is no future until and unless we strengthen our leadership. We will fight for rights to address our people’s aspirations and keep up to the youth expectations.” said a youth leader in the meeting.
While speaking on the occasion, the leaders while upholding their unity asked the party president to move forward with the issues and the youth will follow.
“Our leader Mehbooba Mufti is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way,” said a youth leader while speaking on ‘future prospectus’ of taking back the rights. We all stand behind our leader with firm belief and faith.
While addressing a huge youth leaders gathering, Waheed Para, PDP President Youth wing said that nothing in the erstwhile state seems to be static. Atmosphere is charged with fear and uncertainty.
“There’s unending insecurity among the young with fresh fears of a demographic change, assaults on jobs, culture & language,” he said, adding that their voices have been ignored and the institutions erased.
Mehbooba Mufti expressed pleasure over the feedback, unity of youngsters and keeping their faith intact on the party leadership, she said,
“We reject the undemocratic treatment imposed on us by the ruling regime, which has deprived us of our rights and human dignity, which underpin the constitution. We demand an immediate end to the ruling regime’s denial of the political problem. Our people have endured a brutal clampdown and the world’s longest internet slowdown. Many of our youngsters continue to be unjustifiably held in jails, despite huge risks to their lives from the Covid-19 pandemic.” she said while adding that our voices have been ignored, our institutions erased and we cannot afford to remain silent any longer. We need to speak now to restore our dignity and take charge of our own destinies.
“Too many of our mothers and sisters have been rendered widows. Too many of our children have been lost. Too many of our students are staring ahead at bleak futures.” There’s unending insecurity among the young people with the fresh fears of demographic change, assaults on jobs, land rights, culture & language, added Mehbooba Mufti
In these tough times we need to sustain hope and salute the remarkable resilience of our people. “Jammu and Kashmir has seen many lockdowns and crises. And each time we have shown that we can survive and stand with one another. We have demonstrated to the world a unique capacity to mobilize support, care and humanitarian aid among our own communities. In the most difficult times, we have shown compassion for those who are less fortunate, generosity towards outsiders. This is the secret code to our survival as one people. No power in the world can take that away from us.” She added.
