Dual governance in J&K blatant disrespect to public mandate: Sadhotra

Jammu: National Conference Additional General Secretary and former Minister, Ajay Kumar Sadhotra, today expressed deep concern over the ongoing dual governance in sensitive Jammu and Kashmir, terming it as detrimental to public interest and a blatant disregard for the popular mandate given by the people during the Assembly Elections.
Addressing a public meeting at JINDRAH in NAGROTA Assembly Constituency, which was organized by Ram Parshotam Sharma, Block President Dansal Saraj Din and Ex-Sarpanch Onkar Singh, Sadhotra emphasized that democracy is fundamentally a system of governance of the people, by the people, and for the people, saying any deviation from this principle, especially in a region as politically sensitive and strategically significant as Jammu and Kashmir, is bound to create alienation, confusion, and administrative inertia. “The will of the people must not be undermined. Governance must reflect the aspirations and sentiments of the people, not override them,” he asserted.
Sadhotra lamented that the concept of dual governance where the elected representatives are ignored and discretionary powers are centralized, leads to authoritarian tendencies that go against the very ethos of democratic functioning. “People have an inalienable right to be the masters of their own destiny. Any attempt to govern them through indirect means, without accountability or transparency, is a betrayal of democratic values,” he added.
Sadhotra said that even the business rules formulated and recommended by a democratically elected government have been ignored or put on the back burner, while actions that serve bureaucratic or political expediency are being fasttracked regardless of their merit or impact on public welfare.
“This selective governance not only breeds inefficiency and mistrust but also kills the very spirit of democratic accountability,” he said.
Highlighting the impact of the current dual arrangement, Sadhotra cautioned that when the control of the elected government over the administration is curtailed or restrained, it dilutes the very purpose of having public representatives. “In such a scenario, accountability becomes the first casualty, and governance drifts into a directionless, undemocratic exercise,” he said.
Calling for immediate course correction, the National Conference Additional General Secretary called for restraining the primacy of elected institutions and empower them to function in line with theconstitutional framework and Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act. “The people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve participatory governance, not a top-down model of control. Their voice must matter and their vote must also matter”, he observed.
Sadhotra reiterated the National Conference’s strong demand for the
immediate restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, as solemnly promised in Parliament and reaffirmed before the Supreme Court. He said this vital step will not only restore the dignity and constitutional rights of the people who have long felt humiliated and ignored but also help remove prevailing confusion and uncertainty surrounding governance. “Statehood is not a favour, it is a right that must be returned to the people without any further delay,” he asserted.
Acknowledging the overwhelming support of people to the National Conference, Sadhotra asserted that the Omar Abdullah government will fulfill all promises and steer Jammu and Kashmir to new era of peace, progress and inclusive development, braving all challenges and obstacles.
The local leaders put before National Conference Additional General Secretary, the problems being faced in JINDRAH area like College Building, Shortage of staff in Health building, unemployment and shortage of field staff in different departments. Mr Sadhotra assured that he will take up their problems at the concerned quarters so that the problems are redressed.