Srinagar, August 5 (KNS): People's Democratic Front (PDF) President and former minister Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen on Tuesday said that August 5 remains a date of deep reflection for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, marking a fundamental shift in the region’s political and administrative framework.

While refraining from politicizing the constitutional changes, Yaseen said it is the right of the people to seek the fulfilment of promises made by the country’s leadership and to continue their democratic struggle for constitutional dignity, identity, and justice.

Yaseen appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to honour the commitments made both on the floor of Parliament and in public addresses, especially with regard to the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

“The people of J&K expect the honourable Prime Minister and Home Minister to act on their assurances. Restoration of statehood with dignity and constitutional safeguards for land and jobs is not just a political demand—it is a matter of trust and honour,” Yaseen said, urging the Centre to demonstrate statesmanship by addressing the concerns of the region.

He added that Jammu and Kashmir’s people have always shown faith in the democratic process and expect the same level of commitment and sincerity from the Union Government. “We are not seeking anything beyond what was promised. This is about restoring confidence in democratic institutions and ensuring equal treatment for all citizens,” Yaseen remarked.

Taking a strong dig at regional political parties, Hakeem Yaseen accused the National Conference (NC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and Congress of staging political theatrics around August 5 while being responsible for years of erosion of Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomy during their own regimes.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

“Where were these parties when they held power? They had decades to build safeguards and secure the interests of our people. Instead, they made compromises for the sake of remaining in power,” he said.

He pointed out that Article 370, while a temporary provision in the Constitution, could have been debated and negotiated through constitutional means had these parties shown political will.

“Their failure to take a clear stand or build a legal roadmap during their time in government shows that their concern was never for the people, but for their own positions. Today, their emotional rhetoric rings hollow. These are crocodile tears,” he added.

Hakeem Yaseen said the people of Jammu and Kashmir are now politically alert and far more aware of who truly stands with them. He emphasized that symbolic protests and dramatic statements will no longer resonate with an informed and conscious electorate.

“The people will not be misled again. They demand accountability and real action not tokenism and photo ops,” he said.

Reaffirming his party’s stand, Yaseen said that the PDF is committed to representing the true aspirations of Jammu and Kashmir through peaceful, democratic, and constitutional means. “We will continue our struggle for the restoration of our rights, identity, and full statehood. Our voice is firm, our stand is clear, and our path is democratic,” he concluded. (KNS)