JAMMU, Sep 20: Senior National Conference leader Rajesh Gupta, while interacting with media persons here on Sunday, strongly opposed the statement of Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma seeking dissolution of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, terming it an attempt to mislead the innocent people of J&K and divert attention from the BJP’s own failures.
Gupta said that instead of questioning the mandate of the elected government, the BJP should first explain why it has failed to fulfil its repeated promise of restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. He said the people of J&K have been waiting for the restoration of their constitutional and democratic rights, but the BJP-led Government of India has failed to honour its commitment.
“The BJP has no moral right to lecture the people of Jammu and Kashmir on governance when it itself bifurcated the historic princely state into Union Territories and snatched away its special status,” Gupta said.
He asserted that issues concerning roads, electricity, water supply, healthcare, education and employment cannot be used as an excuse to undermine the elected Assembly. According to Gupta, the elected government must be allowed to work while the Centre fulfils its commitment to restore full statehood.
Gupta reiterated the National Conference’s unwavering commitment to restoration of J&K’s special status and statehood, saying these are essential for protecting the unique identity, dignity and interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
He recalled that, as promised by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the National Conference Government passed a resolution for restoration of statehood in its very first Cabinet meeting.
Gupta said the BJP should stop misleading the public and instead fulfil its promise of restoring statehood, while respecting the democratic mandate of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.