Holding elections alone not enough, restore statehood to J&K: AICC Gen Secy

Srinagar : All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary and Incharge J&K Affairs, Dr Sayeed Naseer Hussain on Friday said holding elections in Jammu and Kashmir without restoring full statehood would be a half measure and that the elected government should have real decision-making powers.
Addressing a press conference in Jammu, Dr Hussain, who was joined by JKPCC president Tariq Hameed Karra and senior leader G A Mir, said the Congress Party had clearly included the demand for statehood in its political resolution. “Elections alone aren’t enough. The elected government should have real powers. The idea is not just about elections but about restoring the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Dr Hussain said. He hit out at the BJP-led central government, accusing it of weakening democratic institutions. “J&K deserved a fully empowered government which functions within the spirit of the federal structure,” he said. The AICC leader raised questions about the process by which several bills were passed in Parliament, despite strong opposition and concerns about their constitutionality. “The same questions raised in the Joint Parliamentary Committee and Parliament are now being asked by the Supreme Court, and the government still doesn’t have answers,” he said.
Dr Hussain criticised the Centre for what he called “pressurising institutions” and “targeting democratic structures”. Referring to several recent developments, the Congress leader said, “We are seeing repeated patterns where institutions like the CBI, ED, and even the Election Commission are being undermined.