Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 22: Decision of Governor S P Malik to dissolve the State Legislative Assembly has invited mixed reaction from different political parties in Jammu and Kashmir.
State Bharatiya Janata Party, while welcoming the decision, noted that circumstances leading to the decision left little choice with the Governor than to dissolve the Assembly to uphold spirit of democracy and stop intrusion of immorality and opportunism in State politics.
BJP State Chief Spokesperson Sunil Sethi said that there was broader consensus in majority of PDP MLAs constituting the so called rebel group to form Government in the State with BJP and People Conference as there was no other viable political scenario, which could claim to represent political aspirations of people of all the three regions. In fact, he added, the whole drama unfolded with statement of senior leader and one of the founders of PDP Muzaffar Hussain Beig, who welcomed formation of such Government with Sajjad Lone as leader.
“What happened subsequent was to stop formation of viable political Government in J&K and in the process PDP was ready and willing to join hands with NC, ignoring and insulting the life time effort of its founder Mufti Mohd Sayeed, who would have never joined hands with political blackmailer National Conference, whom Late Mufti recognized as the worst enemy of people of Kashmir and democracy,” BJP Chief Spokesperson said and added that the events clearly show that there was no political comparability and stability on so called alliance of PDP- NC-Congress and it would have led the State to disaster and further alienation of people of three regions.
The CPIM leader and former MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami today said the decision of Governor to dissolve the Assembly was “taken in haste and not keeping in mind the constitutional spirit.”
Tarigami while addressing a news conference said: “Why was not the Assembly dissolved when the previous coalition Government fell in June? Probably to find possibilities to form a new alliance.”
He said when major political parties started consultations for the Government formation and when PDP, which was the single largest party in the outgoing Assembly, reportedly staked claim to form the government, the Assembly was dissolved in haste. “The options before the Governor were to provide them an opportunity to be heard and discuss the contours of the new alliance with them. But the BJP Government in Delhi got so unnerved with the talks for formation of a popular Government in infancy stage, that they dissolved the State Assembly,” he said.
“Unfortunately constitutional procedures were not followed. The Governor, who had declared days ago that the Assembly would not be dissolved, lost no time in going for dissolution,” he said.
“This procedure has been adopted in the past also which eroded the trust of common people in democratic institutions. May be the Governor took the decision on the instructions of ruling party in New Delhi. Unfortunately, whatever suites ruling party in Delhi is being imposed in Jammu and Kashmir and Governor’s latest step only confirms it,” he added.
Prof Saifuddin Soz, former Union Minister has said that it was wrong on the part of the Governor to dissolve the Assembly and not wait even for a little time to have a look on facts and figures.
“The Governor was in Delhi for a purpose and he did what the Central Government imagined to suit it. Even the Chief Secretary was urgently summoned to render some assistance,” he alleged and added that it was a fit case for the mainstream political class in J&K State, particularly for the PDP to agitate the matter before the Supreme Court.
“The Governor says that he avoided horse-trading without sharing even a bit of evidence before the people. He should have resisted the temptation of believing that he happens to be the ‘reservoir of knowledge’ on facts,” Prof Soz said.
“Now, RSS-BJP has raised the bogey of Kashmir mainstream being terror-friendly and they also try to bring in Pakistan factor. Well, that is menace of a dirty propaganda which India’s civil society should reject with contempt,” he added.
Former Minister and JKNPP chairman Harsh Dev Singh said that the dissolution of Assembly was the victory of Panthers Party’s struggle to achieve the mission impossible against the despotic and dictatorial BJP which had held the democracy and the constitution hostage for its petty political interests.
Addressing public meetings in village Saltan, Khoon in Ramnagar constituency, he
Alleged that BJP tried its level best to press horse trading into practice by offering enticements and allurements to the MLAs, who were bestowed with regular perks, other emoluments and powers to operate CDF in the suspended Assembly. “The situation gave an opportunity to NC, Congress and PDP to forge an opportunist ‘Grand Alliance’ to claim the formation of the Government. If the new dispensation had formed, Jammu region and Ladakh would have been completely marginalized, isolated and subjugated without any representation in the Government,” he added and held BJP responsible for this mess by giving an open space to all Kashmir centric parties to come together and float a draconian idea.
Prof Bhim Singh, chief patron and founder of J&K National Panthers Party has welcomed the dissolution of J&K Assembly, which was the highly genuine demand of the people of all the three regions of the State.
Addressing media persons at NPP Hqrs in New Delhi, Prof Bhim Singh stressed that
Governor should now appoint Delimitation Commission so that the regional disparity is removed and all the reserved categories including Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes may get appropriate reservation in the State Assembly. He said that the Delimitation Commission should re-fix the number of seats in all the three regions according to the mandate of the Constitution ensuring just number of seats in each region.
President Jammu and Kashmir Bachao Tehreek and former minister Abdul Gani Vakil, while welcoming Governor’s move of dissolving Assembly, said that the decision taken is in spirit of democracy to stop another attempt of dynastic politics in the State.
In a statement, Vakil said how it was possible that the parties with different ideologies could form a stable Government. “The coming together of such parties in a group is nothing but an attempt to gain power rather than to form a good Government. It was an attempt of extensive horse trading and possible exchange of money to seal the power by hook and crook,” Vakil said.
Lambasting at PDP, NC and Congress for eroding the Article 370 and Article 35-A, Vakil said these parties from time to time for the sake of power and to appease their masters left no stone unturned to erode the special status of J&K. “Now they are telling people that they got united to save Article 370. No one is a fool here, but all these leaders of these opportunistic political parties are living in fool’s paradise,” Vakil said.
PDP has condemned the action taken by Governor in dissolving State Assembly despite the fact that Mehbooba Mufti had staked claim for Government formation with the support of NC and Congress.
In a statement, PDP general secretary F C Bhagat alleged that sudden decision of the authority revealed that the action was undemocratic, unconstitutional and nothing else than murder of democracy.
“No constitutional expert will appreciate this decision where request of an elected Legislature with the full majority by democratic means claiming to form Government is declined without any solid justification,” he said.
Kashmiri Pandit Conference (KPC) termed the decision of J&K Governor an appropriate move towards proper direction by saving the State to hand over the power to opportunist and corrupt politicians as well as to those semi—separatist political parties who have been directly or indirectly supporting the separatists and stone pelters to disturb the Valley as well as misusing the power in their personal and party interests.
Kundan Kashmiri, president KPC, stated that the emergence of NC, Congress and PDP combination was nothing, but alliance of corrupts and power thirst people and parties as well as of those keeping separatist ideology to take Kashmir away from the country. “These three political parties belong to three certain dynasties, which can not live with out power. This alliance of convenience in Kashmir is an outcome of need-base political survival for the three parties, he added.
Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, former Minister and District president Congress, accused BJP of using Governor to murder the democracy and destabilize the State to achieve their political motive.
He termed the Governor’s decision and consequent development yesterday as a black day for the democracy. “The way in which the Governor did act, is shameful for whole political system of the country and BJP is responsible for that,” he added.
The State president of Janta Dal (United), J&K, G M Shaheen, has appreciated the decision by Governor and said it was really good possibility for restoring peace in the Valley. “If we want peace in Jammu and Kashmir then we should give a chance for the people to elect their Government by the election,” he added.
Shaheen also said that his party will be always with the Governor’s every bold decision because they acknowledge the good work and his excellent dedication towards Jammu and Kashmir.
Janta Dal Secular, J&K unit, has also welcomed the dissolution of State Assembly. In a joint statement by the JK (S) State president Mast Nath Jogi, acting president Ranjay Bangotra and secretary R R Sharma, the party termed the Governor’s decision as good though late.
“It has stopped the sale and purchase of MLAs by the political parties to form the Government, which was not in the interest of State and democracy,” they said and urged the Governor to start election process as early as possible.
NCP State president Thakur Randhir Singh has said that the Governor S P Malik, by dissolving the State Assembly, saved J&K from an opportunistic alliance among NC, PDP and Congress.
Stressing that leaders of these parties should be tried under newly formed Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), the NCP president also urged the Governor to immediately get vacated the official bungalows from occupation of Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, Ghulam Nabi Azad and also Estate accommodation from the Ex MLAs.
Appreciating the Governor’s performance for speeding up development activities, strengthening democracy at grass roots level and ensuring accountability and good governance, president of the National Mazdoor Conference (NMC) Subash Shastri has said that unprecedented development has taken place in the state in a short span of three months only by the Governor’s administration.
Addressing NMC workers, Shastri urged the Prime Minister for continuance of Governor’s and then President’s rule in the J&K till the problems of the people, working and salaried classes are fully addressed and the tempo of departmental speed up.
The workers of Dogra Front and Shiv Sena, under the leadership of president Ashok Gupta took out a procession in Jammu city favouring the Governors decision for the dissolution of the Assembly.
While addressing the gathering, Mr Gupta said that the Governor rule should stay till the time terrorism is wiped out form the State.
Sunil Dimple, president of Jammu West Assembly Movement, also welcomed the dissolution of State Assembly and urged the Governor to bring ordinance for Delimitation commission in the State and extend the President’s rule for at least one year. He further appealed the Governor to dissolve the Legislative Council also as this was unnecessary burden on the public exchequer.
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