Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 28: Former Deputy Chief Minister of J&K Tara Chand today asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to have a referendum on restoration of Article 370 and 35A in Jammu and Kashmir, while adding that if it is done, 99.5 percent will raise their hand in its favour and even supporters of BJP also want its restoration but due to party pressure not supporting it publically.
Tara Chand was addressing first public meeting after resigning from Democratic Azad Party (DAP), in Khour constituency to discuss future course of action including whether to form new political party or to join secular forces. A large number of Sarpanchs, Panchs and social/political activists were present in the meeting.
Addressing the gathering, Tara Chand said, “Restoration of pre-August 5, 2019 status to J&K is the popular demand of the people from both the regions of Jammu and Kashmir”. He said a “big leader” is saying that it cannot be restored but they want to tell him that nothing is impossible. He asked Prime Minister to have a referendum on restoration of Article 370 and 35A.
Hitting out at the Central Government on abrogation of Article 370 and extending various enactments to the J&K including halt of traditional century old ‘Darbar Move’, he said the people of J&K are suffering since the scrapping of Article 370. “The abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution that granted special status to the erstwhile state seemed to have been carried out to rob J&K of its resources, he said.
“Since Article 370 was read down, contact between the district, tehsil and block level officers of J&K and the people of the UT has been minimal. When J&K was a state with an elected Government, political leaders and MLAs acted as bridges between the people and the bureaucracy. But now this bridge has collapsed, leading to chaos, confusion and constant fear. The policy of transferring officers from one place to another to prevent corruption seems to function without reason,” added Chand.
The former Minister claimed that J&K needs drastic reforms when it comes to addressing issues of governance and political instability and the LG cannot do this alone. A Government cannot claim to provide good governance unless it is democratic. Only a democratically elected government can be made accountable, transparent, participatory and responsive.
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