Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 15: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh today said that after Prime Minister Narendra Modi having already announced Statehood for Jammu & Kashmir, Opposition is trying to manufacture a fake narrative so that when the Statehood happens, they may take credit.
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In an exclusive interview to a national TV channel, Dr. Singh said, National Conference (NC) and Congress are trying to create this narrative because they know that the Statehood is in the pipeline and are seeking to take credit for it. This shows that opposition is devoid of issues.
Taking a jibe, he said “some of these politicians are still trying the tricks of the last election, but the voter has moved on, these tricks don’t work any more.
Dr Jitendra described the current Assembly election signifying the return of a vibrant democracy.
“This is the first time that an election is being held to elect a five year term Assembly after almost half a century recalling that the Assembly term had been converted into a six year term way back during the emergency,” he added.
Quoting the example of Indira Gandhi during Emergency who brought in the infamous 42nd and 43rd amendments as a result of which the Assembly terms were increased to six years, Dr. Jitendra Singh said “Possibly she needed another one year to prepare for the polls. But when the Government changed in 1977, Morarji Desai became the Prime Minister, it was reverted back”.
Singh recalled that the National Conference Government headed by Sheikh Abdullah, was quick to adopt the first law even though Article 370 gave them the prerogative to decide which law to adopt or not. He also brought into notice a lesser reported fact that the second time, when it was reversed back, they used the alibi of 370 not to adopt the second law and thus didn’t reverse the term back to 5 years, only to serve their vested interests.
He remarked that at least for more than three decades, there’s been voter turnout of only 8 to 10% and they (Congress , NC) would get their legislators elected, MPs elected and form the Government. He also exposed how it facilitated the dynasty rule generation after generation.
Highlighting the free fair election atmosphere in the valley, he said, so many candidates jumping into the electoral fray for the first time should been seen as a healthy democratic phenomenon.
Earlier, he said, it was a very confined affair. He said there would be a hartal call from Islamabad and shops would be shuttered down in Srinagar with a curfew like situation during polling. Past elections under the shadow of fear prevented people from voting and later managing and manipulating the result allowing a select few to be elected. He called this election under PM Modi to be the mainstreaming of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir
Dr Jitendra Singh said Article 370 is no longer an issue.He also challenged to conduct a public service survey, not only in Jammu but also in Srinagar , in the heart of Valley, and said the commoner and people walking on the streets and lanes of city, would also not like to have 370 restored , but he may not say so, for reasons of fear, etc.
Underscoring the fact that Local Bodies and the Panchayats were deprived of the Central grant to which they are entitled under 73rd and 74th amendments of the Panchayati Raj Act, which was brought in, again by the Rajiv Gandhi Government, but not implemented in Jammu and Kashmir to siphon off the grants to the treasury of the Chief Minister.
He also highlighted the constitution of the District Councils which are getting direct funds. He raised the issue of not giving daughters of Jammu and Kashmir the right to the property of their parents if she chooses to have a spouse outside Jammu and Kashmir. He called that it was not only unjust but also inhuman of depriving the daughters of their right.
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