Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Sept 25: Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad today said there is no democracy in Jammu and Kashmir and people are living in fear after the Centre scrapped the State’s special status on August 5.
Speaking to the media outside his residence while boarding a vehicle for Jammu Airport on concluding his six-day tour of the State, Azad said, “There is disappointment in Kashmir and the despair is also prevalent among the people in Jammu province.
Except 100 or 200 people of the ruling party (BJP), nobody is happy over the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the State into two Union Territories,” he added.
Azad, who had on Tuesday arrived in Jammu on the second-leg of his tour, had said the situation in Kashmir was not good. The Congress leader had reached Srinagar on Friday on his maiden visit to the Valley after the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status on August 5.
His three earlier bids to reach Srinagar had failed as he had been sent back from the Airport by the authorities.
“I have not seen such a terror of the administration anywhere in the world. Democracy is nowhere in the State, after the change in its status. It has vanished from the State. And no body is allowed to speak,” Azad said.
He claimed that the people are afraid of talking, feeling that someone was going to tip-off the Government about it. “With the change in the status, the voices have also been suppressed and there is no place for freedom of speech, freedom of expression or freedom of agitation,” he said.
“Even if somebody is talking about normal protests over the demands for electricity and water, he is asked which jail he wants to go in India,” the AICC leader alleged.
He, however, complimented the people of Jammu for keeping the social bonds intact despite challenging situation during past 50 days. ” I salute the people of Jammu for maintaining communal harmony and brotherhood in this part where people from all the religions and sub regions of Kashmir, Ladakh and various sub regions of Jammu region, having total 22 districts co-exist. This is the real strength of our democracy,” Azad maintained.
Soon after his arrival here from Kashmir where he spent four days, Azad had said, “I have not even been allowed by the administration to visit 10 per cent of the places where I had planned to go in the Valley during my stay there.”
Azad’s visit became possible after the Supreme Court on September 16 allowed him to tour the State.
Meanwhile, Azad also met a large number of delegations during his second day of stay in Jammu. He undertook an extensive tour of Jammu old city areas from Raghunath Bazaar, Purani Mandi, Raj Tilak Road, Parade Ground and Residency Road to meet cross section of society especially the traders, transporters, street vendors and small businessmen.
He was apprised about the overall situation especially economic situation in Jammu region, due to the prevailing situation in the State, as their business activity is inter dependent between regions and districts.
A large number of people of different walks of life and from different parts and districts of Jammu region met him today. They include lawyers, Patnitop Hotel Association, representatives of Oil Tankers Union, J&K Transport Association, Mini Bus Operators, people from border areas of Arnia, Samba, RS Pura, Khour, Rajouri, Hiranagar and delegations of Gujjar-Bakerwals, farmers, youth and students from different districts.
They apprised the visiting leader about the hardships faced by them and shared their concern over the overall situation as well as worst economic crisis during this period faced by different sections of traders, transporters, business-class, farmers and unemployed youth.
They expressed great concern over the great harassment and hardships due to strict and harsh Motor Vehicle Act in the already disturbed situation in the State, which has compounded their economic problems.
Later, in the afternoon Azad left for New Delhi. While departing, he told the waiting media-persons that he would present the detailed report in Supreme Court but expressed grave concern over the suppressing of voice of people especially opposition and the fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression of people.
“Only one political party is being given freedom to do any sort of political activities and there is atmosphere of fear and uncertainty and the entire opposition and other organizations are not allowed to raise the voice of people,” he said.
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