Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 24: Strongly advocating restoration of statehood as a prerequisite to holding assembly elections the Congress has said this has now become imperative after the directions by the Supreme Court while hearing the case pertaining to partial abrogation of Article 370 and holding elections without granting statehood will defeat the basic purpose of restoring the institutions of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing an impressive conference of the prominent leaders and workers of Vijaypur assembly constituency today, Pradesh Congress Committee chief Vikar Rasool said the Supreme Court observations in regard to fixing a deadline for holding Assembly elections and restoration of statehood, is a full-scale indictment of the Centre government and the Lt Governor’s administration who are guilty of depriving people of their basic democratic rights. Time has come to rectify this wrong done to Jammu and Kashmir without any further delay and apologize to the people for having committed this wrong.
Wani gave a clarion call to the party workers and Congress sympathisers to gear up for Lok Sabha and Assembly elections and support the democratic forces spearheaded by the Congress along with other I.N.D.I.A alliance constituents. Time has come for the people to call the bluff of the LG’s administration regarding overall development of Jammu and Kashmir. Falsehood is being spread in the name of development as people are suffering on all counts and reeling under severe power and water crisis.
Speaking on the occasion former Deputy Chief Minister and chairman of the PCC’s campaign committee Tara Chand said the people have been made to suffer by depriving them of the services of their elected representatives. In the face of the Supreme Court setting a deadline for holding assembly elections and directions on restoration of the statehood, the Centre and the LG’s administration owe an explanation and must apologise to the people for depriving them of their democratic rights. Time has come for all of us to join hands and expose the devious designs of the BJP, which has caused immense damage to Jammu and Kashmir and democratic fiber of the country, he added.
PCC general secretary and senior advocate Mohinder Bhardwaj reiterated that the Centre must honour the views of the Supreme Court and immediately declare statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. Illegal and unconstitutional demotion to a Union Territory status has been the root cause of immense difficulties which the people have been facing. There is no redressal mechanism for the people in the absence of their elected representatives and it is imperative that statehood should be declared along with immediate holding of assembly elections.
Prominent among others who spoke on the occasion included Th Balwan Singh, Tarlok Singh Bajwa (Ex-MP), Naresh Sharma, Gurmeet Singh, Dwarka Choudhary, Madan Chalotra, Gurbachan Kumari Rana, Narinder Sharma, Pawan Raina, Bhushan Dogra and Ashok Dubey.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
