Srinagar, Aug 6: Drama over the “resignation” by senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, from the Legislative Assembly continued for second consecutive day on Friday. The PDP confirmed having received the resignation letter from Baig, while the LA Speaker, Muhammad Akbar Lone, described the move as a “mockery.”
 The PDP on Friday issued a letter to media sent by Baig to the party president. “The legislature party of PDP met on a number of occasions to devise an appropriate response as the largest opposition party to the current uprising in the state which is being suppressed by brutal use of force. During these deliberations one of the views put forth was that the members of the Legislature may have to put in their resignations if despite their best efforts their concern was not heeded by the decision makers at the state or at the central level. This of course would be the last resort and ultimate form of protest that could be exercised at the discretion of the leadership. I decided to forward the letter of resignation to the leader of the legislature party in this context,” the letter quoted Baig as saying.
 The letter indicated, though not clearly, that Baig has kept the resignation letter with the PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti, and decision on it can be taken if the party “resorts to this ultimate form of protest.”
 But Baig’s move hasn’t enthused many, including the LA Speaker, Muhammad Akbar Lone, who described the move as mockery. “Baig must come clear on what he intends to do. If he really intends to resign, he must send the resignation letter to the Speaker. The party president has nothing to do with it. It is mockery. It is the Speaker whom the letter should have been addressed to,” Lone told Greater Kashmir.
 “There is no harm if a copy of it is sent to the PDP president, but primarily I am to decide on his resignation. It seems there is some drama going on, or whatever you can call it.”
 The PDP president had Thursday evening denied having received Baig’s resignation, but a party spokesman Friday said Mehbooba received it “late in the evening.”
 While the statement quoted Baig as saying that he has submitted resignation over the prevailing situation in Kashmir Valley and not following scolding by Mehbooba Mufti, sources maintained that Baig had resigned following differences with the party leadership.
 “The context in which I submitted the resignation is of larger import and encompasses the aspirations and interests of all Kashmiris in particular and of all state subjects of J&K in general. Despite peoples’ special and well known views with regard to the larger Kashmir issue, they participated in large numbers in the elections and gave democracy a chance. Naturally, they had legitimate expectations from their elected representatives and democratic institutions. Unfortunately, during the last couple of years, the State government with the central government at its back, has adopted a policy of callous and deliberate disregard of people’s legitimate aspirations, ignored their grievances, violated their human rights, brutalized them and resorted to wanton force instead of political process and healing touch policy that had been visualized and implemented under Mufti Saheb’s leadership,” the statement quoted Baig as saying.
 The statement said, “It has been suggested that this resignation was coerced from me after being scolded for expressing certain views in an interview which were contrary to the policy of the party. Such malicious insinuation is ridiculous to belittle the solidarity, unity and strong foundation of PDP and the loyalty of its members towards their leaders. Ever since I joined PDP as its co-founder I have enjoyed the confidence and respect of its leaders and the cooperation of my colleagues,” Baig said.
 PDP sources, however, maintained that Baig thought of resignation after Mehbooba Mufti took a serious note of his comments on a TV channel 2-days back, saying “Our future lies with India.” “If Baig really intended to resign over the killings, then the resignation should have come the same day when the first round of serial killings took place in June.  And if he really intended to resign from the Legislature, he should have submitted resignation to the Speaker. He resigned only because Mehbooba’s scolding hurt his ego,” they said.
 When contacted, the PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti, said, “You go through the statement where he (Baig) says that this of course would be the last resort and ultimate form of protest that could be exercised at the discretion of the leadership. So it is not resignation but the letter that he has kept with me to be used if submitting resignation is found to be an appropriate response by our legislators over the ongoing crisis,” she told Greater Kashmir.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 6 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 6 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 7 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST