Kashmir youth leader Mir Junaid cites worry over kin, children’s education.

Kashmiri youth leader Mir Junaid, who was part of the delegation of Panches and Sarpanches from the State that met Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier this month, has demanded the immediate lifting of the communication blackout.

“The government can at least allow incoming calls so that people are able to check on their relatives and friends. Owing to the continuing crisis, we have lost more than ₹3,600 crore so far...children’s education is suffering,” he said.

Stating that Mr. Shah had, during the meeting, said the communication would be restored within 25 days, Mr. Junaid said he had also demanded Statehood, early conduct of the block development council polls, security and insurance for the grass-root politicians.

“I urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fulfil his promise, made from the ramparts of Red Fort [on Independence Day], that he would extend all support to those aspiring to join politics in the State. I have sought an appointment with him, but there is no response so far,” said Mr. Junaid.

Mr. Junaid, who was the first president of Kashmir University Students‘ Union, said in the previous regimes, voices of the common men were stifled, the youth were robbed of opportunities and there was little focus on development.

“People in Kashmir are happy that the old political structure, which served the interests of only few families, has been destroyed. Almost 90% of Article 370 had already been diluted by them through various ways,” said the youth leader.

He pointed out that after the special status was taken away, none of the three parliamentarians from the State had resigned in protest.

“New leadership will emerge from grass-root democratic politics. In the recent panchayat level polls, 2,368 of the 2774 candidates supported by us were elected. Of them, a record number of 712 women were elected,” said Mr. Junaid.

Mr. Junaid said the government should ensure that the identity, culture, tradition and language of the people of Kashmir was preserved .

The youth leader plans to float a political outfit with proportional representation from all sections of Kashmir, including 25% reservation for women.

His associate from student politics days, Mohammed Aslam, who works as a lawyer activist providing free advice to the Sarpanches and the needy, said the lifting of special status under Article 370 would allow implementation of reservation policies. “Legislation like the Forest Act and the Atrocities Act will now apply in the State,” Mr. Aslam, a Gujjar by caste.

Waleed, another Kashmiri youth, raised doubts over the promises of development by the Centre. “Show us the roadmap, if you are selling development as hope....the practicality of it. In the past, people have been looted, all schemes failed. Show us how you plan to bolster tourism, bring in industries, given the costly manpower, unavailability of proper rail network and harsh weather conditions,” he said.

He said the government needed to connect to the people of Kashmir rather than just the land.