Srinagar, Oct 15: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Monday termed Governor Satiya Pal Malik’s remarks rejecting autonomy as “unfortunate and sneering.”
Addressing a gathering of party functionaries here at party headquarters, Nawa- e -Subah, Additional General Secretary Sheikh Mustafa Kamal said, “Governor’s remarks over autonomy shows arrogance of power, are unacceptable and can become big obstacle in achieving peace.”
Kamal said that “the document of autonomy was unanimously passed by the state legislature by two third majority.”
“The autonomy proposal is lying with New Delhi where no one has rejected it so far. Barely a month after talking the charge of the state as governor, he has come up with multiple statements ignoring the opinion of mainstream regional parties,” he said.
The NC’s senior leaders said that “there is a democratic set up in place in the state and the governor has to listen to the voices of the mainstream parties. Governor is persistently ignoring us and that tantamount to arrogance.”
NC’s Additional General Secretary maintained that “New Delhi must initiate a dialogue process here to pave the way for the resolution of issues. The central government has to come up with some people friendly CBM’s.”
Speaking on the occasion Kamal said that “the Art 35-A and Art 370 are the articles of faith for the party. He urged upon governor to pore over the history books in order to get wind of circumstances during which accession took place.”
“The pre 1953 position that we are seeking isn’t a new thing, it is a pragmatic way out. The accession of the state of Jammu and Kashmir is powered by the instrument of accession, Government of India Act 1935, the Indian independence act and the subsequent agreements between New Delhi and the leadership of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
“The state of Jammu and Kashmir acceded to the Union but didn’t sign the merger paper which other princely states did. Government should have studied and done a bit of home work about Kashmir after being deputed as the governor of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Kamal said that “the special status enjoyed by the state of Jammu and Kashmir was subsequently weakened after 1953 by the puppet governments that were undemocratically installed here by then central governments,” adding, “The governor’s statements show how ignorant he is about the political history of Kashmir. In this situation governor should stop making politically laced statements that are bereft of historical facts,” Kamal said adding, “The catch-words like ‘short of azadi, sky is the limit’ by the then Prime Minister are yet to see implementation.”
