Srinagar: The meeting of all non-BJP parties chaired by the National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Saturday concluded with the decision of meeting the Election Commission in Delhi urging the poll panel to hold Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and restorative of its statehood. The announcement was made by Abdullah during a press conference after the meeting.
Speaking to reporters Abdullah said that it was also decided in the meeting that the participants will meet national leaders in Delhi to apprise them of the ground-level situation in Union Territories and seek their help in the restoration of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir.
" We held the meeting to discuss the current situation, and discontent among people and to discuss the future course of action. All the leaders expressed their views and we unanimously decided to go to Delhi and meet the national leaders to brief them on the situation prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir," said Abdullah.
As for the demand for restoration of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and holding Assembly elections there, Abdullah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah keep talking about peace prevailing in Jammu and Kashmir adding that if their claims are true then are they not holding Assembly elections.
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" It was in 2014 when the last Assembly election was held in Jammu and Kashmir. According to a Supreme Court ruling elections must be held within six months following the dismissal of an elected government," said Abdullah.
As for the anti-encroachment drive and imposition of property tax in Jammu and Kashmir, he said that an extraordinary situation was prevailing there alleging that orders were being passed by the Lt Governor Administration at night and executed on the following day.
" Our demand is to have a popular government and full statehood and not a truncated statehood. We want a powerful statehood like every other state is entitled to. This is the first time in the history of the country that a proud state has been reduced to a Union Territory," he said adding that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the nation and not separate from it.
Asked whether the delegation will meet the Prime Minister and Home Minister during their proposed visit to New Delhi, Abdullah said that it will be decided later. The meeting was attended by Congress president Vikar Rasool Wani, PDP leader Amrik Singh Reen, National Panthers Party leader Harsh Dev Singh, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and district development council member T S Tony, Dogra Sadar Sabha president Gulchain Singh Charak, Shiv Sena (UTB) leader Manish Sahni and mission statehood president Sunil Dimple among others.
