JKNPP demands fresh state elections

Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 7

Members of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) today held demonstrations here to press for ending the Governor’s rule and dissolution of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly followed by fresh elections to end a political impasse in the state.

The logjam in the state was uncertainty over the formation of government following the demise of Chief Minister Mufti Mohamma Sayeed. The PDP, which had formed the coalition government with the BJP, was allegedly putting conditions, resulting in sharp differences between the allies.

Led by top leaders of the party, the protesters took out a protest march from Jantar Mantar to Parliament, but were stopped midway by security personnel. Bhim Singh and Harsh Dev Singh, JKNPP’s patron and chairperson, respectively, led the march.

All the former MLAs of the party, including head of its youth wing Yash Paul Kundal, also took part in the agitation.

Subsequent to police interception of the march, the protesters sat on a dharna. They raised anti-BJP and anti-NDA government slogans. They carried black-coloured placards raising slogans for fresh elections in the state.

The black colour was used to convey the metaphor of “death” of democracy in the state caused by the BJP and the government led by it at the Centre.

Addressing the protesters, Harsh Dev Singh said even after a month of the Governor’s rule, none of political parties or alliance had come forward to form government.

“The imposition of the Governor’s rule, which though became a necessity due to the death of the Chief Minister, could not be prolonged and continued further at the behest of certain vested political interests,” Singh said.

The PDP already had indicated its disinclination to form government by putting forth unwarranted conditions. The NC and the Congress had also batted for fresh elections. It was the BJP alone which was interested in government formation even though it had just 25 MLAs, he added.

He said the JKNPP would escalate its agitation in the national capital and the state, if its demand were not fulfilled.