Hear genuine voices, clear stand on LC status: Cong

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 6: Asking the Government not to ignore and suppress the genuine voices and divergent views and concerns in the current scenario in the wake of abrogation of the special status of the state, Congress has alleged that even the genuine concerns of Jammu are not being heard at present.
The people are being mis-fed and mislead by all sorts of interested quarters in the wake of unreasonable, unjustified and illegal curbs on the activities and right to express their view points of the mainstream opposition and other pro-India forces in the state including Jammu region too.
Blaming BJP of introducing a new model of democracy, where only ruling BJP has a right to carry out activities and feed the people of any information of its choice through all sorts of resources and sources at its command, PCC chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma termed it totally unprecedented, undemocratic and against the overall interests of the nation. It is a grim face of democracy, he said.
PCC said post- abrogation of Article 370 and disbanding of state into UTs, the people are unaware of several aspects of the situation for which they seek answers but no one responds nor the other view is being allowed to be raised.
Raising an important point, Sharma also questioned the Government to clarify its stand on the present status of Upper House (Legislative Council). Once the whole of constitution of India has been applied to the state of J&K by the presidential notification under Article 370 of the constitution of India, the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir cannot exist, as there cannot be two constitutions operating simultaneously at the same time. Assuming, that the constitution of J&K would lapse only on October 31, 2019 after coming into force the J&K Reorganization Act of 2019, then in that eventuality also on the touchstone of the test of repugnancy, the constitution of India has to prevail and the Article 168 of the constitution of India, as on date does not provide for a Legislative Council for the state of J&K. The J&K State Legislative Council is no more in existence.
He said Government claims to go ahead with BDC polls at the earliest but sans opposition, who are either detained or not allowed to speak even in peaceful Jammu region. How such an exercise can be meaningful and credible, he questioned.