Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 12: Taking serious exception to the reported remark by Minister for Law and Rural Development, Ali Mohd Sagar that Jammu and Kashmir is a dispute between India and Pakistan, State BJP Spokesperson and Party’s national executive member, Dr Jitendra Singh described it as a blatant violation of the oath of office and Constitution under which a Minister in the Government is sworn in and is supposed to function.
If any Minister in the Government genuinely holds a view contrary to the Constitution of the State and the country, then the propriety demands that the Minister must first resign before airing such views, said Dr Jitendra.
He regretted that during the last few years it has been witnessed that from time to time, in a bid to appease the separatist sentiments, State coalition Ministers feel no hesitation in issuing irresponsible statements against the sovereignty of the State while simultaneously continuing to enjoy the loaves and fishes of office.
To reiterate the point, he also referred to the Chief Minister’s ‘accession not merger’ statement last year.
Citing evidences and references, the BJP spokesman reminded Ali Mohd Sagar and other leaders of the National Conference that none other than the NC founder Sheikh Mohd Abdullah had himself accepted the finality of J&K accession to India on more than one occasion.
The BJP national executive member accused the Kashmir-centric parties of political opportunism and pointed out that in 1954, State Assembly with its 75 members of NC had ratified the accession of J&K to India and in 1975 when Indira Gandhi re-installed Sheikh Abdullah as Chief Minister of the State, the latter meekly accepted the sovereignty of Indian republic without uttering a word about autonomy, etc and through DD Thakur committee endorsed all the provisions of Indian Constitution extended to J&K.
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