Jammu, Apr 10: Leader of Opposition (LoP) in J&K Legislative Assembly Sunil Kumar Sharma Thursday said that BJP’s idea of “statehood” did not align with the “State” as was being envisioned by the National Conference (NC).
“We want that the statehood should come when even the last remnants of terrorism and separatism, if there are, are completely wiped out. But in no case, we want the statehood as envisioned by the NC where one of its senior leaders favours talks with Pakistan in the Legislative Assembly,” LoP said addressing a news conference.
J&K BJP vice president and MLA, Sham Lal Sharma; J&K BJP general secretary and MLA Devinder Kumar Manyal; MLA Thakur Darshan Singh; J&K BJP spokesperson Balbir Ram Rattan, and J&K BJP media incharge Pardeep Mahotra accompanied Sunil Sharma.
“Our idea of ‘State’ does not align with that of NC where religious slogans are raised in the Legislative Assembly. This is the Legislative Assembly where you raise people’s issues and find solutions to them and people’s aspirations are met,” the LoP said.
Referring to the recently concluded budget session of J&K Legislative Assembly, Sunil Sharma said that the NC government deliberately wasted the last 3 days of the session.
“For the very first time in the history of the J&K legislature, the government itself didn’t let the Assembly work for three consecutive days. In particular, I wanted to mention a Private Member’s Bill related to the ‘Statehood’ issue. BJP also wanted to debate on the issue to expose the misdeeds of the previous governments, in particular NC, which is presently governing J&K and wanted restoration of the ‘Statehood,’” he said.
“We desired to expose how it allowed people to get harassed when it was in power and had full control over the Police with a full-fledged state,” Sunil Sharma alleged.
“However, the NC wants a State, where religious slogans can be raised in the Legislative Assembly to intimidate other sections. I want to clarify that in 1989, when the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits took place, NC used these slogans as coercive methods,” he said.
“Even in the present scenario, they are trying to create a semblance of ‘Jihad’ in the Legislative Assembly. We will never accept it. The patriotic masses of J&K will never accept such “statehood” where you raise religious slogans to intimidate and to radicalise the atmosphere and bat for dialogue with Pakistan,” the LoP said.
“We want statehood with peace and prosperity, with a vibrant atmosphere for business and tourists. NC wants to relive the narrative of terrorists and of separatists like Masrat Alam. Our vision of statehood is that of a peaceful J&K for which BJP’s top leadership, in Parliament, has made a commitment. They have committed to restore the statehood with prosperity,” he said.
Sunil Sharma said that they wanted to discuss unemployment, daily wagers’ issues and its other poll promises which it failed to meet.
Sham Lal Sharma alleged the wrong precedent was set by the NC to emotionally blackmail the people.
He also questioned the role of the Chair in giving the safe passage to the NC government on its failure terming it as a “fixed match”.
Manyal charged the NC government with failing to meet the aspirations of the SC community.
