In J&K, NC's Principle Coalition Partner Congress Says 'Nothing To Do' With Omar Abdullah Govt's Statehood Resolution

In politically volatile Jammu and Kashmir, coalition partners NC and Congress have indicated divergent stands on key issues including statehood and reservation.

Srinagar: Despite contesting the assembly election in a pre-poll alliance and giving support to the National Conference in government formation, the Congress and NC have divergent stands on vital issues which are core to the politics and public issues in Jammu and Kashmir.

From the restoration of statehood to reservation, the two parties are running in opposite directions.

While the Jammu and Kashmir government's cabinet in its first sitting on October 17 passed a resolution on restoration of the statehood which as vetted by the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha as soon as it reached his table in Raj Bhavan, the Congress said it has nothing to do with that resolution but the statehood restoration is its "principal demand".

"Our demand has nothing to do with the resolution passed by the Jammu and Kashmir government. It (restoration of statehood) is our principal stand, before the elections, during and after the elections. Even after passing the resolution (by the cabinet), we have been raising the demand. So,I dont think it has anything to do with the resolution," Karra told ETV Bharat in Srinagar.

The Congress said that it is reminding the prime minister Narendra Modi of his promise about statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Karra addressed the dozens of Congress workers in its Srinagar headquarters and demonstrated for restoration of full statehood.

"Prime Minister in his Srinagar rally and in the parliament has promised restoration of statehood. Even the Supreme Court has directed the Government of India to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir," Karra said.

The Omar Abdullah led cabinet of the Jammu and Kashmir government on its first cabinet meeting on 17 October passed a resolution for restoration of statehood in its original form.

"The restoration of statehood will be a beginning of a healing process, reclaiming the constitutional rights and protecting identity of people of Jammu and Kashmir," an official spokesman of the JK government said in a statement issued about the meeting.

The Congress president Karra said the prime minister Narendra Modi in his election rally in Srinagar, and at different occasions has promised restoration of the statehood.

"We had demanded that elections be held in the state, but it was not done despite the promises of the prime minister. But so many months have passed, the time is now to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir," Karra said.

The Congress' stand on reservation is also different from the National Conference. The NC in its manifesto has said that it will review the reservation policy. The Jammu and Kashmir government has formed a cabinet sub-committee for reviewing the reservation policy.

"The Congress stand is clear that there must be a cast census done first. We will first see what is the status of the caste population," Karra said. When asked whether the Congress wants review of the reservation as the National Conference, Karra said, "it is not like that."

The reservation policy has triggered anxiety among the general category population in the UT which demand its objective review.