Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 3: CPI(M) leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami criticized Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks made during his virtual address to Kashmir Mahotsav organised by Indian Institute of Sustainability, Gujrat University.
“There is nothing to boast about Jammu and Kashmir. The Home Minister’s assertions regarding holding of panchayat elections are in deep contrast to the facts. The panchayat elections were earlier conducted in 2001, 2011 and 2018,” Tarigami said in a statement.
“Moreover, similar elections are being held in rest of the country but people are not being deprived of the right to elect their assemblies. The Panchayat Raj Institutions could not be a substitute of the assemblies, which are the only representative bodies in States/UTs empowered to legislate on public issues,” he further said.
The CPI(M) leader said that the legislature remains the crucial pillar of democracy in federal structure, but unfortunately the GoI has virtually demolished this pillar in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Even after completing the so-called delimitation process and revision of electorates, the Government has no temerity to hold the Assembly elections,” he added.
“Additionally, if J&K’s post abrogation situation is presented by the Government as a model of democracy then who stops them to replicate it in ‘Gujarat’ or other BJP ruled states?” questioned Tarigami.
He said that growing unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir has left thousands of educated youth distraught but that has not been discussed by the BJP leaders.
“The unemployment rate in this region has touched a staggering 21.8 percent, which is the highest in the entire country. There is nothing for the Central dispensation or Home Minister that needs to be shouted from the rooftops,” said Tarigami.
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