JAMMU, OCTOBER 01: Union Minister Jitendra Singh stated on Tuesday that the enthusiastic voter turnout in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections reflects the success of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies and marks the “true mainstreaming” of democracy in the Union Territory.
Singh also criticized previous governments, particularly the National Conference and Congress, for allegedly misusing Article 370 by denying West Pakistani refugees, the Valmiki community, and the Gorkha community their “citizenship and voting rights.”
Representing the Udhampur parliamentary constituency, Singh made these remarks while speaking to reporters after casting his vote in the third and final phase of the assembly elections at the Trikuta Nagar polling station in Jammu. He was accompanied by his wife and son.
Singh today accused Congress and National Conference of manipulating Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly to a 6 year term by using the alibi of Article 370.
For the first time after nearly 50 years, said the Union Minister, the tenure of the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly will be of five years instead of six years. “The previous rulers, under the pretext of Article 370, kept the tenure of the assembly at six years. When Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister, introduced an amendment during the emergency in 1975 and extended the term of the assemblies and parliament to six years. The NC, which was ruling in J-K with the support of the Congress, adopted the resolution without any second thought.
“However, when the Janata Party government revoked the amendment three years later, the NC-Congress government used Article 370 to continue the six year rule. This is how Article 370 was being abused by the political dynasts for their own benefit. Article 370 was no benefit to the people,” he said.
The Union Minister was talking to reporters after casting his vote in the third and final phase of assembly elections at Trikuta Nagar polling station here this morning. The minister was accompanied by his wife and son.
