Jammu, Feb 01: Former Minister and Chairman J&K AAP State Co-ordination Committee Harsh Dev Singh on Wednesday sought early restoration of statehood to JK and installation of an elected government.
Addressing a press conference in Jammu, Singh said that prolonged central rule in the erstwhile state was a negation of the constitutional guarantees enshrined in the constitution of India.
He said that several assurances by the central govt of restoring statehood to J&K at the appropriate time had failed to inspire the people of J&K who had lost faith in all such ‘melodramatic rants’ of the BJP leadership.
Singh said while the people of the erstwhile state were mystified and befuddled by the abrupt abrogation of Article 370, they had expressed their strong opposition to the dismantling of 200 year old historical State of J&K and downgrading it to the level of UT.
He said that such a move of BJP led government had not only lowered the morale of the people of erstwhile State but caused huge disenchantment in the hearts and minds of general masses. “It was not a demotion of the State only. In Fact every sensible citizen felt downgraded and humiliated. It had deeply hurt the sentiments of the people of J&K who felt belittled and dwarfed”, Singh added.
“History bears testimony that J&K acceded to the Union of India in 1947 only due to the historic decision taken by Maharaja Hari Singh despite numerous stumbling blocks, pulls and pressures. The demotion of State to UT level was not only unprecedented in history but amounted to huge disparagement of the patriotic people of Jammu and Kashmir”, observed Singh.
Demanding early restoration of statehood and installation of an elected govt, Harsh Dev urged for personal intervention of the President of India to save the people of J&K from dictatorial and autocratic regime.
