STATE TIMES NEWS
Chenani: Re-iterating the demand for early restoration of democracy in J&K and holding of early assembly polls, Harsh Dev Singh, Former Minister and senior AAP leader on Saturday said that the erstwhile state was being illogically and illegitimately deprived of popular govt in violation of constitutional guarantees as well as the ‘obiter dicta’ laid down by the Apex court over the subject. “A remote controlled system of governance could not be the solution for the woes and sufferings of the people of J&K. Its the local leaders and local Ministers and elected MLAs who could better address the concerns of their people and bail them out from their sufferings and pains. It has only led to peoples’ alienation, said Singh. The outside bureaucrats and New Delhi leaders, despite their best of efforts, could not be the substitute for legitimate, elected govt which alone could address the peculiar problems of the new set up in J&K”, asserted Singh. He was addressing public meetings in Omala, Kotti Bala and Cherri villages of Chenani constituency during his two days tour.
While the unprecedented power cuts and drinking water scarcity had made the lives of people a living hell, the proxy govt imposed by the centre was acting as a mute spectator. No concrete measures were being taken to address the chaotic situation which had created massive resentment all over the UT. The situation was the same with regard to other Deptts including Health, Education, RDD where corruption was at its peak with no takers for the genuine concerns of the aggrieved masses. Elected representatives therefore alone could be the panacea for the ills afflicting the UT which had continued to remain deprived of popular rule for the last four years.
Lampooning the inordinate delay in holding Assembly elections in the new UT, Singh said that the centre’s proxy rule in J&K was antithetical to democracy and amounted to subversion of the constitution. “The constitution categorically provided for a federal system of governance with timely elections for the Union as well as state legislatures. The people can’t be deprived of their legitimate rights to have an elected govt of their own. Seeking restoration of popular govt, Singh said that any further delay would only amount to violation of the Indian Constitution which the centre claims to have extended to the UT of J&K. It would further be violative of the directives of the Supreme Court which has held that election should be completed within six months in all those States/UTs wherein the assemblies are dissolved prematurely”, divulged Harsh.
Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion included Manju Singh, Rampaul Bhagat, Raj Kumar, Chanchal Singh, Gopal Singh, Narinder Singh besides others.
