Restore democracy, withdraw army from internal J&K areas, says Delhi NGO meet

By Our Representative
A day-long meeting of 50-odd civil society and political activists from Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and other parts of India has demanded that the pre-August 5, 2019 position in J&K should be revived, internet and other mobile based services should be restored, educational institutions should be resumed, and all detainees and people from J&K put in jail for political reasons should be released.
Putting up several demands, a resolution passed at the meeting, which took place at the Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi, insisted, "In the spirit of federalism and the 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution decentralisation of political decision making should take place at the levels of states which constitute Union of India as well as at Panchayat and Urban local bodies levels."
The resolution further demanded, "Army should be withdrawn from internal areas of J&K to restore normalcy", adding, "The ease fire agreement on the Line of Control (LoC) should be implemented strictly by engaging the Government of Pakistan in dialogue so that citizens on both sides do not have to pay heavy price for its daily violations."
The participated included Sheikh Abdul Rehman, former MP, and currently with the Bangladesh-Bharat-Pakistan People's Forum, advocate Jameel Kazmi of the J&K Forum for Peace and Territorial Integrity, Shahid Saleem Mir of the J&K People's Democratic Movement, Tariq Saleem of the National Conference, Ashok Kumar of the Gandhi Peace Foundation, Faisal Khanof the Khudai Khidmatgar, Sunilam of the Samajwadi Samagam, prominent social worker and academic Sandeep Pandey, others.

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