Says assembly, not cabinet, should address statehood and Article 370
SRINAGAR: After the Omar Abdullah-led Cabinet passed a resolution demanding the restoration of statehood in J&K, People’s Conference chairman Sajad Lone questioned why the resolution was passed in secrecy by the Cabinet instead of the Assembly.
He contends that major issues like statehood and Article 370 should be addressed by the Assembly, as outlined in NC’s 2024 manifesto.
“Apparently the cabinet has passed a resolution on statehood. This is as per the headlines of an authentic newspaper based out of Jammu,” Sajad lone in a post on social media said, adding that in wonderment why should a resolution on statehood passed by the cabinet be shrouded in mystery and secrecy — that only one newspaper publishes it.
“I hope the CS of J&K has notified it as is the protocol,” he said, adding that and I very humbly state that will of the people of J&K is reflected in the Assembly and not in the cabinet.
He also said that cabinet is a majoritarian institution of governance. It does not reflect all shades and opinions as per the will of the people of J&K.
“All across the country, to the best of my knowledge, Assembly is the proper institution for addressing major issues like that of statehood or Article 370. When the NC Government passed a resolution on autonomy they passed it in the Assembly not through a cabinet resolution. What has changed now,” he said.
“Fail to understand why this resolution should not have been reserved for Assembly. Why are we so keen to trivialise everything,” he added.
“Would have loved to see which way BJP and other parties vote on statehood and on Article 370 resolution when it is presented in the Assembly,” he said.
“And I am cutting and pasting a few lines out of the NC manifesto for 2024 Assembly elections,” sajad added. “Strive for the full implementation of the Autonomy Resolution passed by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in 2000,” he said.
“We strive to Restore 370-35A, and Statehood as prior to August 5 2019.
In the interim period We will endeavor to redraw the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019, and the Transaction of Business of the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Rules, 2019.
The Jammu and Kashmir assembly, in its first list of business after elections, will pass a resolution against the centre’s decision to strip the region of its statehood and special status,” he said.
“The last para says it all. We are not demanding or expecting anything extraordinary. Do what you promised the people of J and K in your manifesto,” he added.