Congress Blames Centre as J&K Statehood Demand Remains Unmet
Jammu: The Congress has linked the political unease in Jammu and Kashmir to the non-restoration of statehood and the limited size of the council of ministers. The party has also accused the BJP of trying to destabilise the elected government.
Congress chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said the absence of full statehood is creating difficulties across the region. He described the situation as a hindrance to smooth governance and to the aspirations of legislators.
Sharma acknowledged possible discontent within the National Conference over the cabinet expansion. He said the party would talk to its MLAs, though he was not aware of what any individual had said within the party. He added that some legislators may be upset at not finding a place in the cabinet.
He explained that the Union Territory status restricts the total number of ministers. Senior legislators who have been elected five, six or seven times may also want to become ministers, he said. This has created a challenge for the National Conference.
If statehood had been restored, Sharma argued, more ministers could have been appointed. Several senior and willing MLAs might then have found a place in the government. The current limited arrangement, he said, makes it hard to meet these expectations.
Sharma alleged that the BJP could try to take advantage of the situation. He said the party has a record of breaking and destabilising elected governments, and referred to Operation Lotus in this context. He suggested the BJP may be reaching out to unhappy leaders and legislators.
Despite these concerns, Sharma said he did not see any major rebellion for now. He noted that an MLA expressing displeasure within the party cannot be considered a big revolt.
He confirmed that the Congress is backing the National Conference from outside and wants the elected government to remain stable. The party, he said, will not support any attempt to take over the government through a back door. He claimed that six Congress MLAs fully support the National Conference.
On Congress's role, Sharma said the National Conference had received the mandate to form the government. If the Congress had also taken cabinet posts, the limited number of berths could have made things even harder. The party therefore chose to fight for statehood from outside the government.
He said the Congress is raising the issue on the streets and at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Sharma held the Centre and the BJP responsible for the present conditions in the region.
Sharma said a dual control system exists in J&K, with an elected government functioning alongside another administrative setup. He argued that people are suffering under this arrangement. He said the Congress stands with the elected government, while some important administrative powers remain with the Centre through the Lieutenant Governor.
He recalled that the sequence promised earlier was delimitation, followed by elections and then restoration of statehood. Assurances on restoring statehood soon were also given in the Supreme Court, he said. Yet the demand remains unmet two years after the elected government came to power.
Sharma pointed to challenges for the elected government in matters such as the transfer of officers, including deputy commissioners and senior police officials, and control over administrative decisions. He said the Centre appears to want political instability to continue.
He described the BJP as an opportunistic party that has formed alliances with various parties to gain power. Sharma reaffirmed that the Congress supports democracy, the rights of the people and a stable government in Jammu and Kashmir. He said the fight for statehood would continue and the Congress would stand by the National Conference government.