Srinagar, Oct 14: Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami on Monday said the National Conference-led coalition, supported by Congress, CPI(M), AAP and independents, will form a government that will “truly” represent the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking to KNS, Tarigami said the long wait for an end to the President’s rule is finally over, and the mandate of the people will soon be fulfilled. “It has been a long time coming, but the people’s mandate will now be respected,” he said.
He said that after years of political uncertainty and a suspended assembly since 2018, the time has come to revive the democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir. “A new government will be formed, and we hope the voice of the people will be heard once again in the legislative assembly,” he said.
The CPI(M) leader said there are challenges ahead but they are confident that with the support of the people and other democratic forces, the new government will advocate for the rights of the people. “There are definite challenges, but we will raise our voice for the people’s rights and work with other forces to strengthen this cause,” he said.
Tarigami said that since the BJP came into power at the centre in 2014, Jammu and Kashmir has faced many obstacles, including a coalition government that struggled to function effectively. “We had warned that the BJP’s approach was not in the best interest of the region, and unfortunately, that proved true with the assembly being suspended in 2018,” he said.
He further said that the Supreme Court, opposition parties and democratic forces across the country played a key role in pushing for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s assembly. “The Supreme Court’s guidance, combined with the persistent efforts of opposition parties, has finally led to the resumption of the democratic process,” he said.
The MLA-elect Kulgam also said that Omar Abdullah has been elected as the leader of the National Conference’s Legislature Party, with the backing of other parties, including Congress, CPI(M), AAP and independents. “This is a people’s mandate. A real government will be formed, with the support of all these parties,” he said.
Tarigami said there are ongoing challenges, such as the continued authority of the Lieutenant Governor over certain matters like public order and the transfer of IAS and IPS officers. “Public order and the transfer of officers remain with the LG, an unelected nominee of the Government of India. We want to be part of the democratic process, but there are still obstacles,” he said.
He added, “We will work together, regardless of community or background, to ensure justice is done for Jammu and Kashmir. We want our constitutional rights to be upheld, and we will continue to raise our voices until that happens.”
The CPI(M) leader called on the people to support the new government and urged other democratic forces across the country to stand with them. “We seek the support of democratic forces across the country so that Jammu and Kashmir can fully benefit from the democratic process and address the people’s problems,” he said. (KNS)
