STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Strongly advocating restoration of statehood as a prerequisite to holding assembly elections the Congress has said this has now become imperative after the recent observations and directions by the Supreme Court while hearing the case pertaining to partial abrogation of Article 370. Holding elections without granting statehood will defeat the basic purpose of restoring the institutions of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing an impressive conference of the prominent leaders and workers of Vijaypur assembly constituency here today, Pradesh Congress Committee chief Vikar Rasool said the Supreme Court observations in regard to fixing a deadline for holding assembly elections and restoration of statehood, is a full-scale indictment of the Centre government and the Lt Governor’s administration who are guilty of depriving people of their basic democratic rights. Rasool gave a clarion call to the party workers and Congress sympathisers to gear up for Lok Sabha and Assembly elections and support the democratic forces spearheaded by the Congress along with other I.N.D.I. alliance constituents. Time has come for the people to call the bluff of the LG’s administration regarding overall development of Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking on the occasion former Deputy Chief Minister and chairman of the PCC’s campaign committee Tara Chand said the people have been made to suffer by depriving them of the services of their elected representatives. In the face of the Supreme Court setting a deadline for holding assembly elections and directions on restoration of the statehood, the Centre and the LG’s administration owe an explanation .Time has come for all of us to join hands and expose the devious designs of the BJP, which has caused immense damage to Jammu and Kashmir and democratic fiber of the country, he added.
PCC general secretary and Senior Advocate Mohinder Bhardwaj reiterated that the Centre must honour the views of the Supreme Court and immediately declare statehood for Jammu, and the Centre and the LG Administration must explain why this situation has arisen if everything was perfectly right as per the rosy picture being portrayed by them. Among others who spoke on the occasion included Thakur Balwan Singh (Senior Vice President), Tarlok Singh Bajwa (former MP and Vice President), Naresh Sharma (General Secretary), Gurmeet Singh (General Secretary) Dwarka Choudhary (Former Corporator and General secretary) Madan Chalotra (Chairman OBC Cell PCC) Gurbachan Kumari Rana (former minister), Narinder sharma (General Secretary) Pawan Raina(General Secretary) Bhushan Dogra (Secretary) Ashok Dubey Janak Raj, Surinder Sharma, Jeet Raj, Rashpal Sharma, Kirpal Singh, Ghanshyam Sharma.