The first is the economy. All our good intentions are no use, if we don’t have the funds to implement them. The AltSarkar is looking at serious cost cutting measures. We also welcome your ideas. Where do you think the government could save money, or use it better? As you know, there are several long standing problems in the country. The government intends to address them in the days to come. However, there are three major issues that need to be addressed urgently, because allowing deterioration impacts the future of us all. The second is the climate. Climate change, environmental degradation, pollution, water scarcity, groundwater depletion, contamination and more are serious issues that are already costing lives and will cost more lives in the future unless we address them today. The third is Kashmir. While there is diversity of opinion, it is beyond dispute that a state can’t simply be wiped out on gunpoint. This isn’t democracy. This isn’t us. This is a minefield of interests and emotions that we have to navigate very very carefully. India is a Constitutional democratic state and the actions on 5th August , 2019 are not in consonance with the spirit of Indian constitution. We failed to consider the consequences to the people, our democratic values and risks to the troops facing the fallout. It was ill advised. We should have consulted with Kashmiri leaders and taken the harder, but ethically upright route to integrating Kashmir. We extend our regrets and sincere efforts to make amends. Security forces are immediately ordered to reduce restrictions on free movement, allow peaceful protests (shouting angry slogans is not violence), and to detain violent protesters and vandals with minimum force. Mobile networks and internet access are to be immediately restored. Political prisoners are to be released at the earliest. Use of force by security forces will strictly be to protect civilians, property or self-defense. Every instance of shooting, including pellet guns will be reviewed by a joint team to rule out unprovoked violence. The joint team will have at least one member each of the government, the Security Forces Liasion Officer in question and civil society observer with established work on human rights. Their findings will be published on record. Security forces are instructed to expedite movement of supplies to the valley with particular importance to medical supplies, food, cooking gas and fuel. Apple harvest related vehicles must also be facilitated in order to prevent losses to the crop. We are cognisant of increased security risk from some quarters and appropriate measures are being taken to address them. This is currently not expected to impact civilian life in Kashmir. The AltSarkar is constituting a committee to review the decisions of 5th August considering humanitarian, legal and constitutional concerns. with a view to addressing any remaining non-compliance urgently. You may offer suggestions to kashmircrisis@fekle.in

A High Powered Committee (HPC) to study and recommend Plan of Action for establishing normalcy in Kashmir will be set up, Members:

1. Home Minister
2. Omar Abdullah
3. Mehbooba Mufti
4. Ghulam Nabi Azad
5. Min for Parliamentary Affairs

The HPC will submit it’s report within one month to Parliament for an open debate.

AltSarkar would really, really like to hear from you, if you have ideas toward these three goals. Please substantiate your suggestions with the reasoning behind them, so that we may find them easier to understand and implement. Email: idea@fekle.in

Thank you.