‘GoI Insincere About Conducting Polls in J&K’: Political Parties

The Union Home Minister Amit Shah has stated that the elections in Jammu and Kashmir would be conducted in the next 6-8 months.

SRINAGAR — The mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday said that the government in the J&K is the need of the hour and hoped that the Central government is sincere about conducting the assembly polls at the shortest possible time now.

The political parties were reacting to the statements made by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah wherein he stated that the elections in Jammu and Kashmir would be conducted in the next 6-8 months.

National Conference (NC) Vice President for Kashmir Province, Ahsan Pardesi said that there is no clarity by the Union Home Minister with regard to the election being conducted in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pardesi said that this is nothing but an imaginary statement and if the Central government would have been sincere then it would have at least mentioned the month for polls as well. “The delimitation process has not been completed yet and the concerns raised have not been addressed. The panel has been given an extension of two more months, thus is subsequently putting a question mark over the claims of elections being held within 6-8 months in J&K,” he said.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesperson Najam-Us-Saqib said, “It has been farcical all along that even when it was delimitation commission, we will get to hear about it from BJP, the same thing has happened again as about elections, we should hear anything from Election Commission of India, but it is ironic that we are hearing this statement from a representative of a political party.”

“There were a lot of statements on the floor of the house, but all the slogans have fallen flat. We don’t put any certainty as long as the things are not in black and white,” he said, adding that the party believes that it is just a political statement.

Apni Party Vice President, Ghulam Hassan Mir said that the delimitation commission has not completed its process yet as the panel has been given additional two months to complete the process.

“The party wants elections to be held at earliest. But the main thing at this point of time is that the delimitation process should be completed as per the aspirations and wishes of the people. The concerns raised by the people should be addressed,” he said, adding that once the delimitation process is completed, the elections should be conducted at the earliest.

Peoples Conference Spokesperson, Adnan Ashraf said that the Home Minister and the representatives of the Central government have been making statements for a couple of years now, but as the delimitation process is going on, there is a need to wait till it ends.

“Elections to have a popular government is imperative now, as the time for experimentation through bureaucracy, which hardly understands Kashmir is going to be counterproductive over the long run. It will not help Jammu and Kashmir in any way as the grievances and demands of people remain unresolved. Sooner the elections are held; the better it is not only for the people of J&K but also for the democratic process as this administration has put democracy on the back seat and they have been conducting the affairs as per the whims and fancies,” he said.

“We would hope that the Centre is sincere about the elections and starts making arrangements for the polls and conduct in this year,” he said.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesman, Manzoor Bhat welcoming the statement of Union Home Minister, said that the elections in Jammu and Kashmir are need of the hour to address the grievances of people. (KNO)