Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 21: The draft recommendation of the Delimitation Commission in which it proposes six more assembly seats for Jammu and one in Kashmir, has been vehemently opposed by Apni Party (AP), National Conference (NC), J&K National Panthers Party (JKNPP), Shiv Sena and others while BJP welcomed it.
Reacting to the draft, Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Prof Saifuddin Soz said, “The entire process of Delimitation in J&K smacks of a conspiracy hatched by the RSS to change the demography of the State and ultimately install a Hindu Chief Minister in J&K. The RSS seems to have succeeded in making the J&K Delimitation Commission propose six additional Assembly seats for Jammu and only one seat for Kashmir.” He said this recommendation of the Commission goes against the most crucial criteria for Delimitation that is population and the same attitude shows the Commission itself in extremely poor light.
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National Conference general secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar rejected the draft recommendation of Delimitation Commission terming it the murder of democracy and another step towards disempowering Kashmiris. Addressing a press conference at party headquarters Nawa e Subha, Srinagar, said the draft is not based on democratic and scientific parameters. “The draft ditches rules and procedures. It constitutes evidence of brazen bias towards Kashmir. It does not correspond to the 2011 census and is violative of principles of democracy and the rules of representation,” he added.
Reacting on the draft recommendation of Delimitation Commission, general secretary of Apni Party Vikram Malhotra said that delimitation exercise fails to fulfill the equitable distribution of political power. “Draft recommendations have exposed the hollow promises of the BJP which has always stood for equitable distribution of political power between Jammu and Kashmir but even after this latest reorganization of the seats the balance of power is tilted in favor of Kashmir with 47 seats going to Kashmir region and 43 to Jammu,” Malhotra added.
Former Cabinet Minister and BJP spokesperson Rajiv Jasrotia welcomed the draft recommendations of the Delimitation Commission, asserting on their implementation, these recommendations will put an end to “decades of injustice meted out to the region”. Jasrotia further said, the draft recommendation of the ‘Delimitation Commission’ regarding the reservation of 9 seats for Tribal (STs) in JK Assembly is a step that will prove historic towards tribal development.
Alleging perpetuation of bias against Jammu region in the ongoing delimitation of Assembly constituencies in J&K, the activists of JKNPP led by its chairman and former Minister Harsh Dev Singh held a massive protest at Jammu. Referring to the Draft Report of Delimitation Commission, Harsh Dev said that it had paved the way for continued subjugation of Jammu region. Allocating 43 seats for Jammu region as against 47 seats proposed for Kashmir was wholly unjustified in view of the norms and criteria laid down in Section 60 of J&K Reorganization Act for delimiting the Assembly constituencies, he added.
The leaders of Shiv Sena J&K unit staged a strong protest here today against the proposal of the Delimitation Commission to increase only 6 Assembly seats for Jammu. They alleged that this is yet again gross injustice with Jammu region and its people and demanded that Jammu division be given its due rights that have been denied for over past seven decades. While addressing the gathering Manish Sahni said that once again the people of Jammu are being deceived by those who promised moon to the innocent people of Jammu.
The activists of Mission Statehood led by its president Sunil Dimple held a strong protest and burnt the copes of draft recommendation of Delimitation Commission. He appealed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to redirect Delimitation Commission to create 100 assemblies seats in J&K, 50 for Jammu and 50 for Kashmir so that both the regions can get equal representation.
Former MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia today asked the Delimitation Commission bring the complete draft in the public domain so as to public may know which panchayat or block has been brought in which assembly constituency and accordingly, file their objections. Mankotia further said as one-fourth of the people of PoK live in Jammu, De-limitation Commission should give 8 seats out of 24 reserved seats for PoK to Jammu division, so that the people of PoK can have the right to choose their representative.
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