Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 5: National Conference today lashed out at the PDP-BJP alliance in the State for dishonouring democracy and democratic institutions in J&K by subverting elected representatives and thereby, trivializing the representative character of the Legislative Assembly.
In a joint statement issued from party headquarters in Srinagar, National Conference legislators from South Kashmir Altaf Ahmed Kaloo, Abdul Majid Larmi, Dr Bashir Ahmed Veeri and Showkat Hussain Ganai condemned the brazen disrespect shown by the PDP-BJP alliance and both Central and State Governments by not inviting the local elected representative from Homshalibug for the inauguration of new trains in the State at the Anantnag Railway Station that falls in his constituency.
The National Conference legislators also asked the Central Government and particularly the Union Railway Minister to clarify in what official or constitutional capacity PDP general secretary Sartaj Madni’s name was included in the newspaper advertisements as the ‘guest of honour’ by the Railway Ministry for the particular inauguration.
“While the local elected representative was not invited for an inauguration in his constituency, the PDP general secretary who holds no official or constitutional position besides being the privileged uncle of the Chief Minister was included in the advertisements placed by the Railway Ministry in various newspapers. This is yet another attempt to dishonour the representative character of the Legislative Assembly and discredit the mandate of the local electorate in various constituencies to appease PDP,” NC legislators from South Kashmir said.
The State as well as the Central Government should weigh the risks of dishonoring democracy in J&K and draw lessons from a history that has witnessed the subversion of democratic institutions and popular elected representatives at a grave cost to the State and the interests of its people”, the NC legislators said.
The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly should demonstrate unquestionable objectivity in line with the highest conventions of the Legislative Assembly and take strong notice of this unacceptable behavior by the PDP-BJP Government. The onus lies on the Speaker to uphold the dignity and integrity of the Legislative Assembly without any political bias or prejudice”, the NC leaders said in their statement.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel