Prevailing political situation, deferment of poll on agenda
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Sept 27: To discuss prevailing political situation in Jammu and Kashmir and their future strategy, leaders of Opposition parties are scheduled to meet here at the Bhatindi residence of National Conference (NC) president and former Chief Minister of J&K, Dr Farooq Abdullah on October 3.
Senior CPI (M) leader and former MLA Kulgam Mohammed Yousf Tarigami has extended invitation to leaders of various opposition parties including Congress, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Awami National Conference (ANC) of Muzaffar Shah, CPI and CPI (M), Panthers Party (PP), Dogra Sadar Sabha (DSS), Shiv Sena Akali Dal and other smaller political groups of the UT.
Tarigami when contacted confirmed to the Excelsior that the meeting is scheduled to be held on October 3 and an invitation has been extended to all opposition parties in this regard. He said the meeting will discuss the prevailing political situation in the UT amid the reports of postponing of Panchayat and Local Bodies elections due in November this year.
He said the agenda of the meeting will be prevailing political situation and leaders of the opposition parties will exchange their views over the same. He said there is lot of dissatisfaction and resentment among the masses over the reported move of the Government to postpone Panchayat and Local Bodies elections and this issue will also be discussed in the opposition meet.
“The BJP Government was boasting off holding the Panchayat and Local Bodies elections in the UT but now it has come to be known that they have abandoned them without reasons,” he said. “They (BJP) took a complete U turn now on holding elections to basic institutes of democracy”, he added.
Tarigami, however said that they had not as yet discussed the future course of action but whatever will be decided in the meeting will be made known to the media on that very day at the venue of the meeting. “We have not yet debated over the issue but the follow up will be shared with the media at the venue of the meeting,” he added.
“They abandoned the elections to dis-empower the people. Earlier they had made tall claims of holding three tier election system in the UT but now they (BJP) have been exposed before the masses”, he added.
J&K Congress president, Vikar Rasool whose party will also attend the scheduled meeting said “We will definitely attend the meet as NC and other parties are the part of I.N.D.I.A Alliance”.
Vikar Rasool, while turning tables on BJP said “They have ruined the J&K. They are afraid of elections so they are not holding them. How long they will defer the elections. The BJP has committed murder of democracy as people in the UT are suffering a lot”, he added.
He said “they are postponing Local Bodies elections. The Assembly poll though over due have not been held till date. “When opposition talked about delaying Assembly poll they were saying that 33,000 public representatives have been elected to Panchayats and Local Bodies but what happened to that now”, he asked?
PDP General Secretary and former Minister, Dr Mehboob Beg while confirming that his party will participate in the scheduled meeting of opposition parties said the postponing of the Local Bodies’ elections is an issue. They have not conducted the Assembly elections for last over five years. The BJP has been exposed for its hollow claims. They downgraded the State to UT which is a humiliation for the people of J&K, he added. The regional forces of all parties are one and they will fight it out democratically, he added.
Dogra Sadar Sabha (DSS) chief and former Minister, Gulchain Singh Charak said that he has not received any invitation in this regard as he was out of J&K and returned by this evening. He however, said if the postponing of Local Bodies and Panchayat elections is the issue his party will attend the meeting after getting the invitation.
Shiv Sena (SS) president, Munish Sawhni said that he has received the invitation this evening and no decision has been taken up by his party whether to attend it or not. He said the State Unit of the party will sit tomorrow and discuss the issue. He said as they don’t know what is the agenda of the meeting, If it is elections hopefully his party may also attend it, he added.
Sunil Dimple chairman, Mission Statehood who has also been invited to the meeting by the opposition parties will attend it.
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