Excelsior Correspondent
Jammu, Nov 8: Chairman All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference Shafiq Mir has strongly dismissed the remarks of former Jammu and Kashmir interlocutor Prof Radha Kumar in which later had said that the implementation of 73rd amendment of Indian Constitution would erode the autonomy of the State.
Reacting over her statement published in a section of media on Friday, Shafiq Mir has described her statement as self contradictory and said that the latest U-turn of Prof Radha Kumar was against the interlocutors report itself where they had advocated for the implementation of 73rd and 74th amendments of Indian Constitution in the State. Mir said Radha Kumar’s statement has created more confusion in the State.
Shafiq Mir said that the implementation of 73rd and 74th Amendments of Indian Constitution provide more powers to the local bodies like Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies which means the people are given more autonomy to take decisions regarding the development of their respective areas.
Thus, these do not erode autonomy but give more autonomy to the people. Taking dig at those talking about the special status of the state and opposing the implementation of 73rd and 74th amendments in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Shafiq Mir questioned, ” then how AFSPA and MGNREGA was extended to the state as these both were central acts and passed in the Indian Parliament”.
Mir has suggested Prof. Radha Kumar to rethink on her statement if she wants to empower the people of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Mir said that in fact, the people of Jammu and Kashmir were never given the democracy for which they had opted for India. And some self interests in the state don’t want to see the democracy flourishing in the State and that is why they were opposing the implementation of 73rd and 74th amendments of Indian Constitution in the State.
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