Srinagar: While reacting to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s statement that “Center won’t go against sentiments of J&K people on Article 35-A” Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) vice president and MLC G N Monga Tuesday said they will welcome it only when a counter affidavit is filed on behalf of government of India in the Supreme Court.
“Only making commitments and then not fulfilling it won’t work. We will welcome it only when Center Government will file a counter affidavit in the Supreme Court to defend the Article 35A. It (New Delhi) is indulging in half hearted measures in Kashmir which can’t change the ground situation,” Monga said in a statement issued here on Tuesday.
He questioned where have the commitments made in the “Agenda of Alliance” reached between PDP and BJP before forming the alliance government in J&K gone. “What is stopping the BJP government from holding talks with all stakeholders in Kashmir as the same is mentioned in the ‘Agenda of Alliance’ The ‘Agenda of Alliance’ is limited to only papers and on ground nothing like that exists. Otherwise it has been more than two and half years since the PDP-BJP government took over in J&K, but till date no progress has been reached on any issue.”
“The developmental process has come to a standstill. People in the state, and especially in the Valley are suffering immensely due to strikes, curfews and violence. Every sphere of life has been badly hit by the unrest. While education sector has been the worst victim, the transporters, businessmen, people associated with tourism and other sectors are in deep crisis,” the Congress leader said.
He said under such circumstances people don’t have lot of expectations from the Home Minister’s statement. “If BJP-led government at the Center is sincere, let it file a counter affidavit in the Supreme Court to defend Article 35A and oppose the writ petition regarding the Article 35-A,” Monga added.
