Srinagar, Oct 18: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly criticised the Congress party for its recent approach to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court to challenge the Lieutenant Governor’s authority to nominate members to the legislative assembly.
Former MLC and BJP spokesperson Girdhari Lal Raina condemned this move as a veiled attempt by the Congress to gain entry into the Assembly after suffering electoral losses.
In a statement issued here, Raina accused the Congress and its allies in the INDIA block of perpetuating discrimination against Jammu and Kashmir’s displaced communities, particularly those displaced from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK). “Their actions are indicative of a longstanding neglect of the rights and welfare of these marginalised groups,” he said.
The legal petition, filed by Ravinder Sharma, a former legislative council member and senior vice president of the Pradesh Congress Committee, challenges the provisions of the J&K Reorganisation Act. This Act grants the Lieutenant Governor the power to nominate five MLAs, a provision that Sharma claims is unjust.
Raina said the Supreme Court previously refused to entertain a similar plea. However, the Congress party has failed to learn from past rejections, he said.
The BJP spokesperson recalled that during the parliamentary discussions on the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill in December 2023, prominent Congress leaders such as Manish Tiwari expressed opposition to provisions that would allow for such nominations. He quoted Tiwari’s remarks which criticised the discussion of a bill amending a law already pending constitutional challenge in the Supreme Court.
G L Raina urged the people to recognise the “opportunism” of parties like Congress. “Now that the BJP government under PM Narendra Modi has initiated measures to ensure justice and rights for those wronged for 70 years, these parties are attempting to control and undermine benefits meant for the displaced,” he said.
Raina appealed to the people to respond decisively against political leaders who seek “backdoor access” to power after being rejected in polls. “There is a need for accountability among elected representatives,” he said.
