The silence of governor Satya Pal Malik on the controversial gender discrimination remark of Additional Solicitor General as the counsel of the Jammu & Kashmir Government during article 35 A hearing on August 27 in the supreme court lends credence to the doubts raised by National Conference (NC) and Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) recently . Surprisingly the Governor Satya Pal Malik does not break his silence over the controversial remark of Mehta in which he told the supreme court that article 35 is a gender discrimination case even after National Conference Vice President and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah demanded disengagement of Tushar Mehta for not complying the brief given to him by the Jammu and Kashmir Government. Forget about the Satya Pal Malik’s silence on Tushar Mehta’s gender discrimination remark on article 35 A the state’s law department does not bother even to come out with a clarification to let the people know that whether Tushar Mehta has spoken about gender discrimination on article 35 A on his own or he was mandated by the state government to speak about gender discrimination during hearing on article 35 A the way he has spoken.
Since three former chief ministers of the state owing allegiance to two largest mainstream political parties have objected to state government’s silence on Tushar Mehta’s remark about gender discrimination in article 35 A during August 27 hearing in the supreme court not only a clarification but also action from Governor Satya Pal Malik as demanded by three former chief minister of the state is not ony warranted but also over due.
If Tushar Mehta has spoken against the government brief as claimed by National Conference Vice President and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on gender discrimination in article 35 A then the action demanded by Omar Abdullah against Tushar Mehta for going out of state government’s brief is not only warranted but also over due. Though PDP was not part of the all party meeting of mainstream political parties which by consensus sought disengagement of Tushar Mehta as Jammu & Kashmir Government counsel for violating the official brief of the department but PDP has not shown disagreement but agreement with the decision taken at the party meeting over the demand for Mehta’s disengagement as counsel of Jammu & Kashmir Government on article 35 A in the supreme court of the country. Silence of Governor Satya Pal Malik on Mehta’s remark about gender discrimination in article 35 A during August 27 hearing in the supreme court has created doubts about the intents of the government on defending article 35 A even in the minds of top mainstream political who headed at least many popular government in last three decades in the state. Since three former chief ministers of the state owing allegiance to two largest mainstream political parties have objected to state government’s silence on Tushar Mehta’s remark about gender discrimination in article 35 A during August 27 hearing in the supreme court not only a clarification but also action from Governor Satya Pal Malik as demanded by three former chief minister of the state is not ony warranted but also over due.
