Srinagar, Aug 20: The ruling National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday said some provisions of the three bills moved by Union Minister Amit Shah for the removal of the prime minister, chief ministers, and ministers arrested on serious criminal charges for 30 days, were “draconian”, and expressed the hope that government will address the concerns of the opposition.
“Some provisions of the bills are draconian. These will be opposed tooth and nail,” NC state spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said and demanded a “relook”.
He expressed the hope that the government would listen to the “genuine concerns of the opposition to address them and act rationally”.
“We hope the democratic principles will not be allowed to be eroded further,” he added.
Dar said the party hopes these bills will be “relooked”.
“These bills are going to the JPC. We hope the concerns raised by the Opposition on the bills are addressed there as well,” the NC state spokesperson said.
Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Karra alleged that the bills reflected the “authoritarian character” of the ruling dispensation at the Centre.
“Rather than further strengthening the states and restoring statehood to J-K, they have shown the whole world their authoritarian mindset and authoritarian attitude under which they are trying to tighten the noose around the neck of a CM or a minister of any state,” Karra said here.
The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president was speaking to reporters after paying floral tributes to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary at the party office.
Karra said the Centre should respect the wishes and aspirations of the people of J-K.
“They played with the identity of the people of J-K, took away their constitutional guarantees, the protection of land, resources and jobs. Now, rather than respecting the wishes and aspirations of the people of J-K, they are showcasing their anti-J-K mindset once again,” he added.
To a question whether the Congress party will support the signature campaign announced by J-K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for the restoration of statehood, the JKPCC chief said the National Conference runs as per its agenda, while the Congress party has its own agenda that it follows as it is not bound by complusions of being in government.
“Do not put your words into our mouth. We are in complete alliance with them (NC), but we are not a part of the government. We have said that we have our own agenda, we had our own manifesto, and they have theirs.
“They talk about statehood in their own way, and we do it in our own way. The aim is the same. But since they are in the government, they may have some compulsions that the Congress does not have. So, we have openly launched a struggle for the restoration of the statehood,” Karra added.
