Referring to the reports doing rounds in a section of media and in the political and administrative circles of a possible govt formation in J&K without following the democratic process, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman-JKNPP & former Minister today cautioned the centre to refrain from such an unwholesome and abhorrable political misadventure. J&K is not the State/UT to undertake such noxious experimentation given its peculiar circumstances and law and order sensitivities, said Singh. Further handing over the reins of power to political turncoats and toddlers whose names are being repeatedly mentioned in media would only aggravate the crisis and result in serious ramifications. People with questionable antecedents and dubious credentials, if handed over power, could invite disaster in the UT and nullify the gains achieved in the past, said Singh. He was addressing a press conference in Jammu today alongwith Mr. Yash Paul Kundal, General Secretary-JKNPP & former Minister.
“Questioning the moves of the govt, howsoever ridiculous or unconstitutional they may be, is treated with contempt and considered offensive by the present dispensation. It could entail imprisonment, house arrests or even invocation of PSA against those daring to exercise their democratic rights of questioning the govt. And those having the temerity to question further become ipso facto anti-nationals. The Panthers Party would, however, continue to oppose all undemocratic and authoritarian decisions of the govt so as to uphold the noble values enshrined in our Constitution”, he asserted. “Why at all should a govt be formed by providing constitutional powers to those disgruntled politicians who are known for defying the people’s mandate by crossing floors and changing their respective political parties time and again for power gains. Can such opportunist leaders do any good to the system or the people of the troubled UT which is bleeding due to the injustice done to its inhabitants by its self aggrandizing and self flagellated power hungry leaders”, said Singh.
Lambasting the govt for inordinate delay in restoration of democracy in J&K, Mr. Singh said that a people’s govt alone could address and redress the urges and aspirations of the public. He said that despite the BJP-PDP govt collapsing around two years ago in 2018, the centre had failed to set the election process in motion. Even the much trumpeted delimitation process was nowhere in sight with the govt taking ten months merely to constitute the commission with no further initiative having been taken during the past ten months after 5th August, 2019. He called for early restoration of democracy and revival of duly elected govt in the UT in accordance with the procedure encapsulated in the Constitution.
Mr. Gagan Partap Singh, Secretary-JKNPP was also present in the press conference.