Alleging subversion of democracy in J&K post Article 370 abrogation, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh JKNPP Chairman & former Minister today said that BJP led govt appeared to be averse to the idea of holding Assembly elections in the new set up. He said that while no initiative had been taken to restore popular rule in J&K, the govt in the UT seemed to have been outsourced to bureaucrats from outside the state, both retired and in-service. The appointment of a third advisor to Lt Governor from UP cadre amply revealed the intentions of the centre which seemed hell bent to continue its proxy rule in J&K through these outside bureaucrats. He said that with political process having been rendered defunct in the new UT, political parties discredited and discouraged and opposition parties suppressed, the democracy had been reduced to a farce in J&K. He was addressing a press conference in Jammu today.
Asserting that legitimate, elected govt alone could represent and honour the popular sentiment, Mr. Singh questioned the rationale behind repeated postponement of Assembly Elections in J&K. He said that Election Commission had earlier taken a call for simultaneous polls of Assembly & Parliament which however did not materialize. It later issued a statement on 4th June, 2019 stating therein that the EC “after the conduct of Amarnath Yatra will announce the election schedule for the conduct of Assembly Elections in J&K”, revealed Singh adding that it too turned out to be a damp squib. Likewise, statements of early Assembly polls were issued by Central Govt, Governor and the Lt Governor of J&K also, which too created only cynicism amongst the masses in view of the frequency with which they were made and then forgotten.
Pointing towards euphoria created post Article 370 abrogation in the name of fresh Delimitation of Assembly constituencies, Mr. Singh said that it too had petered out with no action initiated in this regard by the Central Government. He said that even otherwise Delimitation exercise can’t be held in J&K in view of a provision incorporated in J&K Reorganization Act by virtue of Section 63 which emphatically rules out Delimitation of Assembly constituencies in the UT of J&K until after the first census taken after the year 2026. He said that until and unless the J&K Reorganization Act was amended by both Houses of Parliament, no delimitation could take place in J&K. The uncertainty was however allowed to continue by making misleading statements about delimitation and early Assembly elections, regretted Harsh.
Asserting that a people’s govt alone could fulfil the aspirations of the general masses, Mr. Singh sought early restoration of democracy by putting an end to proxy rule imposed by the centre in J&K.
- Zorawar Singh State Secretary JKNPP and Mr. Parshotam Parihar State Secretary Panthers Trade Union were also present in the press conference.