Srinagar
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Friday asserted that granting divisional status to Ladakh is the admission of defeat by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party BJP who had vigorously campaigned during 2014 elections on giving statehood to Ladakh.
Welcoming the government’s move of granting division status to Ladakh, NC General Secretary Haji Ali Mohammad Sagar said, “By accepting our regional autonomy formula, BJP has accepted that our road map was correct and theirs was a big lie,” adding “NC is committed to give regional autonomy to different regions and sub-regions of the state including Chenab valley and Pir Panchal.”
“Decentralization of power has always been the core of our party ideology and we would welcome any move wherein the demands and aspirations of regions/sub-regions are acknowledged and taken care of. However what is distressing is the way how governor administration is implementing the decisions. The pick and choose policy adopted by Governor sb is unfortunate and can serious ramifications on the state politics,” he said.
“The hollow rhetoric of BJP stands exposed today because of which they have suffered massive defeats in the recent Assembly elections across the country. This is another instance where they have backtracked on the promise of giving statehood to Ladakh. Although we have always maintained that such demand was impossible, the ‘Jhulma Bazi’ of BJP, however, stands exposed. Now it is for the people of Jammu and Kashmir to give them a resounding reply in the forthcoming parliamentary and legislative elections,” he said adding, “We anticipate a resounding majority in the forthcoming elections to deliver on our promises in letter and spirit.”
Sagar said that the long pending demands of lakhs of people living in the mountainous areas of the state have to be accommodated as well.
“It will be unfair with the people of the state if the incumbent administration looks the other way. We are of this view that everyone, irrespective of the religion, caste, creed, region has an equal stake and it’s the responsibility of those who are at the helm of affairs to ensure that there is no imbalance in the society,” he said adding, “The development deficit needs to addressed in areas which are less accessible and are lagging behind in every aspect. This can only happen by relegating more administrative powers to them and help the area achieve development goals.”
