E-Paper
Opposition parties to hold peaceful protest on Oct 10: Farooq
The unanimous decision was taken during the meeting of leaders of various Opposition parties here led by Farooq Abdullah
: The Opposition parties will hold a peaceful protest on October 10 here against the BJP government for keeping the Constitution suspended and stifling the voice of the people in Jammu and Kashmir since June 19, 2018, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said on Tuesday.
The unanimous decision was taken during the meeting of leaders of various Opposition parties here led by Farooq Abdullah.
On June 19, 2018, the last elected government of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had ceased after the latter had pulled out of the alliance citing deteriorating security situation.
“We have unanimously decided that all of us would stage a peaceful protest and in this context would send a letter to the government’s divisional commissioner for a peaceful protest,” Farooq told reporters after chairing the meet.
He also slammed the BJP for its “double standards” vis-à-vis denying elections in the union territory.
“When they hosted the G20 meet here, they said the situation is very good. Today, the home minster has said that post-Article 370, the situation is very good. LG Manoj Sinha says that atmosphere is very good and all-round development is taking place. If so, then why Constitution is suspended here?” asked Farooq.
He also criticised the BJP government of taking U-turns on polls in the region.
“If you promised to the people about holding Panchayat elections, DDC and municipal elections, then why you changed the decision overnight. It means that what you said about improvement in situation during and after G20 meet was wrong. When we talk about elections, they (BJP) cite bad situation, but when G20 and delegates had to be brought here, then they said that the situation was very good. I can’t understand this,” he added.
The former chief minister also recalled how the BJP was prompt in conducting the delimitation process in Jammu and Kashmir despite the fact that the state government had frozen it till 2026.
“We have a (political) vacuum here and to fill it, elections are mandatory,” he added.
CPI (M) leader MY Tarigami said, “During the meeting, Farooq sahib said our constitution in J&K is suspended. It is not a small thing. We must see its implications. We unanimously arrived at a decision to hold a peaceful protest on October 10.”
“The Constitution of India was given to us by our freedom fighters but we are being deprived of it in J&K. We integrated into India but this is the government that has kept us away from the constitutional order. And, that’s why we appeal the people of this country to stand with us,” said Tarigami.
He said that there was a need to grant constitution, democracy and integration of J&K with constitutional structure.
“On the contrary this government came into power and they deprived J&K of the constitution. In our opinion, this government is anti-people and it is loss of the nation, loss of our history and future. Try to understand the ramifications of what we discussed at the meeting,” he said, citing the presence of two former chief ministers, former ministers and ex-MPs in it.
“We have decided to defend the rights of the people of J&K and therefore, will come on the streets because we have no hope of getting justice from this government,” said Tarigami.
Former chief minister and PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti condemned Delhi police raids on the offices of online news portal NewsClick.
“Very few media outlets are left in this country that question government. Earlier, journalists in J&K were booked and arrested under UAPA, but now this trend has spread to other parts of the nation. We strongly condemn government action against NewsClick and urge Editors Guild to take notice of it,” she said.
When asked about Ghulam Nabi Azad of Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) and Altaf Bukhari of Apni Party, who were conspicuous by their absence, Farooq apologised for calling them ‘government parties’.
J&K Congress chief Vikar Rasool Wani, working president Raman Bhalla, Awami National Conference leader Muzaffar Shah, PDP general secretary Amreek Singh Reen, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Manish Sahni and veteran politician Sheikh Abdur Rehman among others attended the meeting.
