Srinagar, Aug 4: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Chief Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq on Friday said that the political vacuum caused by “government of India’s unilateral and undemocratic action on August 5, 2019 continues to torment Jammu and Kashmir.
“Expressing concern over the five years long central rule in the beleaguered region, Tanvir said, “Far from bringing projected development and peace dividends to Jammu & Kashmir, Centres’ August 5 actions have instead disrupted almost every aspect of life across Jammu and Kashmir. Employability of youth, development, accountability and democracy have become prime casualties of the unilateral and undemocratic measures. The actions as already forewarned by us, have begun yielding diminishing returns.”
NC leader said that projected as a move that would bring development and peace to Kashmir, the actions have pushed the region into a quagmire of hopelessness. “New media policy, out-sourcing of jobs and contracts to locals, soaring inflation, curtailment of ration, drastic hike in the tariff of utility services, and new dismissal rules of employees have resulted in real curbs on the most basic democratic rights such as freedom of expression,” he said.
Denial of popular, representative government for too long has its own inherent negative implications on every sphere of life across J&K, Tanvir said adding, “The administrative setup in place in J&K lacks legitimate representative character. Bureaucratic rule cannot be a substitute to a representative government.”
Every conceivable factor involved in election arithmetic is being taken care of from redrawing of the boundaries of constituencies and to lopsided award by the delimitation commission, he added. “The situation with regards to democracy in J&K stands incoherent with the country’s Constitution and there is disquieting evidence on the backsliding of democracy everywhere in Jammu and Kashmir,”he said.
