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JAMMU: Senior National Conference leader and Provincial President Jammu, Rattan Lal Gupta, today accused the BJP-led Union Government of adopting a step-motherly attitude towards governments that have been elected with a popular mandate but do not belong to the BJP. Gupta was interacted with party functionaries and workers at the new Provincial Office of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference which shifted from Sher-e- Kashmir Bhavan to Gandhi Nagar, Jammu in the presence of Ajay Kumar Sadhotra former minister and Additional General Secretary Jammu, Sheikh Bashir Ahmad Provincial Secretary Jammu, Ayub Malik Provincial Secretary Jammu, Babu Rampal former minister and Central Zone President, Qazi Jalal Ud Din former MLA, Bimla Luthra former MLA, Vijay Lochan Chairman SC Cell, Abdul Gani Teli Chairman OBC Cell, Rajni Devi Working President Women Wing, Dr. Shamshad Shanj former Chairperson DDC Ramban,Chander Mohan Sharma District President Jammu Urban, Naresh Bittu District President Jammu Rural B, Rakesh Singh Raka Vice President Central Zone.
Gupta said that such an approach is not only politically unfortunate but also amounts to dishonouring the mandate of the people and weakening the democratic and federal spirit of the Constitution. He said the Centre must respect the verdict of the electorate irrespective of which political party forms the government.
Referring particularly to Jammu and Kashmir, Gupta said that the people had participated in the Assembly elections and elected their representatives, yet the long-pending promise of restoration of full statehood remains unfulfilled. Recent reports indicate that the demand for restoration of statehood continues to be raised by the J&K Government and political parties, with the Centre’s earlier assurances still under scrutiny.
“Denying statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is, in effect, denying the people the full constitutional and democratic framework of a State. The people of J&K should not be treated differently from citizens of other States,” Gupta said.
He maintained that the elected government must be given adequate constitutional space and authority to discharge its responsibilities towards the people. “Democracy does not mean merely holding elections; it also means respecting the mandate that emerges from those elections,” he added.
Gupta urged the Union Government to honour its commitment and restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir without any further delay. He said that after the Assembly elections, there is an even stronger democratic basis for returning J&K to full statehood, and continued delay is creating unnecessary political uncertainty.
He further appealed to the Centre to rise above party politics and strengthen the federal structure of the country by ensuring equal treatment to all elected governments. “The Constitution belongs equally to every citizen and every State. The Centre cannot selectively respect democratic mandates. Jammu and Kashmir deserves dignity, democracy, statehood and full constitutional empowerment.” Gupta asserted.
Among others who were present on this occasion: Laxmi Datta Senior leader, Rita Gupta, Dilshad Malik Vice Presidents Central Zone, Sharshad Natnoo former BDC Chairman, Sardar Gurnam Singh District Secretary Jammu Urban, Jaseen Malik District President Samba YNC, Amit Kumar District President Jammu Rural B YNC, Sukhdev Block President Bhalwal, S. Parvinder Singh Block President Gandhi Nagar, Pooja Jaggi, Ch. Rafi, Anyatullah,Kuldeep Sharma, Sumita Bhan, Jatinder Singh Lucky, Gimmy and others.
