Srinagar, Dec 21: People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) on Tuesday termed the proposal by Delimitation Commission of adding six seats to Jammu region against only one to Kashmir valley as “divisive” against which the amalgam will stage protest on January 1, 2022.
The Delimitation Commission on Tuesday proposed six additional assembly seats for Jammu region and one for Kashmir while reserving 16 constituencies for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
According to news agency KNO, the PAGD’s announcement of the protest was made by the leaders during a press conference at Jammu after holding a meeting at the residence of National Conference (NC) President Dr Farooq Abdullah.
M Y Tarigami, spokesman of PAGD, said that
the “constitutional frame of delimitation including census have unfortunately been ignored in the proposal of delimitation commission” while demanding that the delimitation be carried out as per fresh census across country.
“There should be some criteria during delimitation as per population and laws meant for it should be followed in letter and spirit,” he said.
The PAGD members said that the delimitation commission proposal “is not as per the wishes and interest of people and is just a step to create wedge on regional and community basis”.
The commission’s draft report, the PAGD alleged, is “part of agenda of BJP to divide people and if implemented is set to create further wedge between J&K and New Delhi”.
The leaders said that the conglomerate will hold a peaceful protest on January 1 2022 in Kashmir against the proposal.
“PAGD leaders have decided to hold a protest on 1st January at 11AM against the proposals of delimitation commission which are unacceptable to us, all the people and all communities and we term it as divisive”.
The leaders further said that abrogation of Article 35-A and 370 in Jammu and Kashmir was also “unconstitutional and step was taken without taking into confidence the stakeholders from Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh”.
“Everyone is aware that many among us have challenged reorganization act of Jammu and Kashmir In Supreme Court and Government of India should have avoided to go forward with this commission in a hurried rush as it is neither in national interest and not in the interest of people of Jammu and Kashmir,” the PAGD leaders said.