Stating that time had come to address the political dimensions of Jammu and Kashmir in a pragmatic manner, National Conference provincial president Devender Singh Rana said on Tuesday regional autonomy to the three regions of the state was the only way forward to end the growing sense of discrimination and alienation.

“Greater autonomy under the ambit of Constitution of India and regional autonomy to Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh is the only way forward to meet distinct aspirations of the people,” Rana said while interacting with party activists during his extensive visit of the Nagrota assembly constituency.

He said National Conference had all along been making efforts to bring lasting peace in the state but the Centre too must walk a step with open mind. He said autonomy coupled with regional autonomy would be an effective counter to both talking about secession and trifurcation of the state on regional lines. These initiatives, he said, could lead to assuaging political, economical, developmental and psychological aspirations of the three regions — Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. He expressed concern over “attempts to divide” the people of Jammu and Kashmir on regional and communal lines, saying this did not augur well for the unity of the state.

Rana said the autonomy resolution passed by the Jammu and Kashmir state legislature was pending with the Centre, adding that the issue of regional autonomy could not be taken to its logical conclusion since there was no forward movement on that document. He said the doctrine provided a mechanism for empowerment of sub-regions and administrative mechanism at district level to take governance at the grassroots level, on the analogy of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils.

Rana said regional autonomy together with well structured district councils would end the sense of deprivation and allegations of discrimination. “This will be in a sense complete involvement of the people in decision making,” he added.

Describing the PDP-BJP coalition a “total failure”, Rana said governance appeared too mild a comment for non-performance on all the fronts. “While development has come to a grinding halt with utility services taking nose dive, the government has failed to ensure minimum basics to the people,” he said, referring to erratic power and scarce drinking water supply. Rana said the failure in regulating these services had put the entire population to misery during the ongoing harsh summer spell.