In a significant political development in Jammu and Kashmir, former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday, marking their first one-on-one meeting in five years. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief used the opportunity to push for the return and rehabilitation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits, saying it was a moral, societal and political necessity for lasting peace in the Valley.

Mufti said that without the inclusion and return of the Kashmiri Pandit community, any political process or reconciliation effort would be incomplete. In a statement after the meeting held at Raj Bhawan, she emphasised that their return must be done in a dignified, secure and sustainable manner.

She submitted a detailed proposal to the LG that laid out multi-tiered initiatives to make the reintegration materially grounded and socially sustainable. According to Mufti, the displaced community must be supported not just symbolically but with tangible resources, institutional backing and social inclusion mechanisms.

Key Proposals in Mehbooba Mufti’s Document

One of the central proposals in the document is that every displaced Kashmiri Pandit family should be allotted half a kanal of state land in their district of origin, provided they are willing to return. Mufti insisted that this allotment should be legally recognised with proper land records and government-issued titles.

She also pitched for political empowerment of the community. The current nomination-based representation system, she argued, must be replaced by two reserved constituencies for Kashmiri Pandits in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. This change, she said, would help the community gain real political agency rather than symbolic seats.

Formation of Reconciliation Commission

Mufti called for transformational institutional reform by converting the existing relief and rehabilitation department into a new and autonomous body — a Reconciliation and Reintegration Commission. This body, she suggested, should be tasked with a broader and long-term mandate to address the needs of not just returning Pandits but also other displaced communities across the Valley.

Flexibility in Employee Transfers

Addressing the government employees appointed under the Prime Minister’s special package for Kashmiri Pandits, she said that the current system of transfers is too rigid and needs more flexibility. Many employees, she claimed, are posted in challenging areas without options for change, which disincentivises more displaced individuals from considering a return.

Positive Response from LG

Mufti described LG Manoj Sinha’s response to her proposals as positive, saying he assured her that the recommendations in the document would be carefully reviewed and implemented wherever feasible. The meeting comes ahead of the Kheer Bhawani Mela, an annual religious festival that brings hundreds of Kashmiri Pandits back to the Valley temporarily.

Appeals Ahead of Eid

With Eid approaching, the PDP chief also urged the LG to release individuals languishing in prisons for “relatively less serious charges”. She also requested the government to consider transferring detainees lodged in prisons outside Jammu and Kashmir back to the Union Territory so that their families could visit them more easily.

Outreach to Central Leaders

Mufti stated that she has also shared the document with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, underlining that the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits remains a core agenda of the PDP, dating back to the tenure of her father and party founder, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

She added, “This issue was a key concern of Mufti sahab, and the PDP has made this an important part of its political vision. The time has come to act decisively.”

First Direct Meeting Since 2020

This meeting assumes significance not just because of its agenda but also because it is the first formal meeting between Mehbooba Mufti and Manoj Sinha since the LG assumed office on August 7, 2020. Since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, Mufti and other regional political leaders have had limited engagement with the administration, often criticising the Centre and the LG’s office for unilateral decisions on Jammu and Kashmir.

Monday’s meeting may signal renewed political engagement and a potential thaw in relations between the PDP and the J&K administration. Whether or not the proposals are implemented, the initiative is likely to generate fresh discussions around the return of Kashmiri Pandits, a long-standing and sensitive issue.

Reactions and Implications

While there has been no immediate official response from the LG’s office, the timing of the proposal — just ahead of Mela Kheer Bhawani — adds a symbolic layer to the PDP’s push. The Kheer Bhawani temple in central Kashmir’s Tulamulla village holds religious and emotional importance for the displaced community, and the mela draws Pandits from various parts of the country to pay homage.

Observers suggest that the move may also be an attempt by Mehbooba Mufti to reclaim political ground in a post-370 Kashmir, especially at a time when elections to the Union Territory’s Assembly are being speculated upon.

In conclusion, Mehbooba Mufti’s renewed outreach to displaced Pandits through detailed policy proposals, combined with an unprecedented meeting with LG Sinha, marks a potentially new chapter in Jammu and Kashmir’s politics. The focus on dignified return, land rights, political representation, and institutional reform may find resonance not just among the Pandit community, but also among others advocating for inclusive and reconciliatory politics in the region

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