Congress slams Assembly poll delay, says democracy ‘suspended’ in J&K

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, April 12

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Friday attacked the BJP for “suspending all tiers of democracy” in J&K and raised questions over the delay in Assembly elections.

“Today, the PM heads to Udhampur in J&K. In its attempt to retain power in the erstwhile state, the BJP government has now suspended almost all tiers of democracy and refuses to hold fresh elections. PM Modi must answer for his suspension of democracy,” Jairam Ramesh stated on X.

Four RS seats vacant

Questioning delay in Assembly elections, Jairam Ramesh says four seats in the Rajya Sabha also remain vacant because of the poll delay.

He said that the erstwhile state of J&K had been under the direct rule of the Union government ever since the BJP withdrew support to the Mehbooba Mufti led-government in 2018, citing a “deteriorating security situation”. “The people of J&K have been left without an elected government since then. Four seats in the Rajya Sabha also remain vacant because of the delay in holding Assembly polls. The Centre has often blamed the Election Commission of India for the delay in holding elections but now the Chief Election Commissioner has turned around and blamed the Centre for the delay after 2022’s delimitation exercise. Eventually, the Supreme Court had to step in and give the Centre a deadline of September 2024 to conduct the polls,” he mentioned.

He questioned as to why has the BJP waited so long to conduct polls in the state? “Are they afraid of the verdict of the people? How long will the PM cling to power in a state where the people never chose him as their leader?” he questioned.

He further stated that the terms of 4,892 panchayats and 316 block development councils (2nd and 3rd tiers of Panchayati Raj) came to an end on January 9. “With the terms of urban local bodies having ended last November, the J&K people no longer have elected representatives on most levels of government. Once again, the ruling BJP has been unwilling to hold fresh elections in the state. Why has PM Modi so ruthlessly suppressed the will of the people?” Jairam stressed.

Jairam claimed that despite centre’s claims of development and progress “till date, only 414 units have been registered and actual investment on the ground is just Rs 2,518 crores in J&K. Although there was much optimism about the hospitality sector, only Rs 87 crores of investment proposals have been received till date. Where is all of the development and progress that PM Modi had promised?” he questioned.

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