Hakeem Yaseen demands early elections in J&K

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, June 30: Chairman PDF, Hakeem Yaseen has demanded immediate elections in the State to end prevailing political uncertainty and said that continuation of direct Central rule in the restive State was causing a great disenchantment among the people.
In a statement issued today Hakeem Yaseen demanded holding of Assembly elections without any delay and said that there cannot be any alternative to an elected Government. He said prolonging the process of elections in the State on one pretext or the other was brewing doubts and mistrust among the people. He said there was a general feeling on ground level that center was deliberately avoiding elections to throttle the voice of people through undemocratic means. “This perception has to be dispelled, “he emphasised.
PDF Chairman cautioned that the delay in holding elections would further deepen the sense of alienation and mistrust among the people which would be against the overall interests of the country. He said people of J&K are yearning for a popular Government in the State to seek redressal of their day to day grievances.
Referring to the current debate on the Art 370 of the Constitution of India, which guarantees special status to the Jammu and Kashmir State within the Constitution of India, Hakeem Yaseen said that the Article has become the jugular vein for the people for their survival and existence adding that any sort of tinkering with this Article would have disastrous consequences. Central leadership should desist from injuring sentiments of the people by abusing Art 370. Special status to Jammu and Kashmir State by virtue of Art 370 is a Constitutional reality, which cannot be denied to befool people by political skullduggery, he added.
Hakeem Yaseen stressed that it would be in the greater interest of the country to respect sentiments and aspirations of the people of the State and win their hearts and minds instead of exercising coercion and military might.