Guv’s decision undemocratic: Congress
Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir Congress Thursday attacked Governor Satya Pal Malik over the “undemocratic” decision to dissolve the state assembly and alleged that he kept the House in suspended animation to “facilitate horse trading” by the BJP and its allies to form the government.
The governor abruptly dissolved the state assembly Wednesday night, hours after the PDP staked claim to form a government with the backing of rival NC and the Congress. This was followed by another bid by the two-member People’s Conference which claimed the support of the BJP and 18 legislators from other parties.
“It was an undemocratic decision by the governor when three parties came together to stake claim for the government. It is simple murder of democracy in this sensitive state,” Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir said
It has sent a wrong message to the people, he added.
Mir said demands by political parties in the past for dissolution of the state assembly were turned down even though they had made it clear that none of them was in the position of form the government.
“But he (Malik) said that he can run the assembly in suspended animation till 2020,” the state Congress chief said.
“He was facilitating the BJP and its allies in Kashmir (so) that they should bulldoze other parties, arrange numbers through horse trading and allow them to form the government,” Mir alleged.
He said the move to dissolve the state assembly after the PDP, Congress and NC alliance staked claim raised questions about the Governor’s office.
“Our alliance did not suit the BJP and the central government. The assembly was dissolved on their directions,” he alleged.
Mir also asked the BJP to either apologise or make public the evidence on its allegations that the PDP-Congress-NC alliance was formed at the behest of Pakistan.
“You (the BJP) are in the government, you have all the institutions, the CBI, the NIA, the IB, the Governor and the RAW. Prove (the allegations) before the country if you have any proof or else you have to apologise, Mir told reporters here.
The JKPCC president said the BJP was in the habit of making false allegations and labelling others, who do not support them, as anti-nationals.
“This has become the BJP’s habit that those who support it are nationalists and those who do not support its wrong principles and policies are dubbed as anti-nationals and pro-Pakistani. Who has given you this right? Mir asked.
The Congress leader also questioned the BJP’s central leaders about their association with the separatist-turned-mainstream leader, Sajjad Gani Lone.
Mir said he wanted to ask the BJP when did the combination it was pursuing and the person (lone) whom it was projecting got de-linked from the Pakistan intelligence agency ISI.
“Have you taken a certificate for him?” he asked.
“When someone supports you and praises you, you think he is a nationalist, otherwise not. When you make such allegations against a mainstream party, which has members elected under the Constitution, the country will question you, Mir said.
The JKPCC president also questioned the BJP on its allegations that the NC-PDP-Congress combination did not represent the Jammu and Ladakh regions of the state, saying the ruling party surrendered before the Kashmir-centric parties for forming government in the state.
“You talk about Jammu and Ladakh. If this combination (NC-PDP-Congress) would have been allowed, it had an equal composition from the two regions. Did you (BJP) propose a single candidate as a chief ministerial candidate when you got majority in Jammu region? Or, did you propose a chief ministerial candidate for any combination?”
“You (BJP) surrendered before a Kashmir-centric party (PDP) for forming the government and even now your plan (for forming government) was via Kashmir (with Lone). I would have appreciated you, had you shown any courage and brought forward a BJP face from Jammu,” he said.
Mir added there were no regional concerns for the Congress as all the three regions were same for it.
“We have the representation from all three regions of the state. I question you (BJP) why don’t you declare a CM face from Jammu to be the party’s chief ministerial candidate,” he said.
Asked if the Congress would take a legal route to challenge the governor’s decision, the JKPCC president said while his party would not do so, it would support the PDP if it decides to do so.
We will support the PDP completely if it chooses to take the legal course of action, he said. (PTI)
Press Trust of India
