People tasting real autonomy, self-rule: Dr Jitendera Singh
SRINAGAR: Senior BJP leader and Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendera Singh Monday said far from the hollow slogans of regional parties, people of J&K are first time witnessing the grassroots democracy flourishing in the form of Panchayati Raj System and common masses of J&K are “tasting the real self-rule and autonomy after a gap of 73 years.”
He said that the only issue with Pakistan is the resolution passed in the Parliament in 1994 that states, other part of Kashmir under Pakistan, are under the illegal control and need to be retrieved.
Addressing a press conference here, Dr Jitendera said that it was for the first time that grassroots democracy was seeing the light of the day in J&K after a gap of 73 years.
“For the past over 50 years, regional parties have been beating the drums of autonomy and self-rule. Basically, they wanted autonomy and self-rule for themselves by winning elections with just 10 per cent voting while common people of Kashmir were always befooled over hollow slogans,” Dr Jitendera said as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
The DDC elections, the phase two of which is going to be held tomorrow, is basically a pledge of Prime Minister Narendera Modi towards people of J&K to realize the real meaning of democracy at the grassroots level. “I would say that this is the beginning of a new chapter in the history of democracy in Kashmir,” the top BJP leader said, adding that the ensuing elections is also a chance for the introspection of people of J&K. “People will not enjoy the rule of the self, not self-rule of politicians,” he said.
He said that in the first phase of polling where over 50 per cent voting was recorded, the percentage is much higher than the previous Lok Sabha elections. “In Lok Sabha elections, people had got disillusioned and their aspirations were also disillusioned. Politicians managed to win in just 10 per cent polling and entered in the Parliament,” Dr Jitendera said. “Today’s elections are an aspirational outlet, through local self-governance and it’s a reflection of peoples’ enthusiasm.”
He said if local politicians who have been beating the drums over revocation of Article 370 were so outraged, they should have simply resigned from the Parliament.
“Why didn’t they do it and go back to the people with the same issue. Instead, they decided to sit in the Parliament and enjoy perks. Three National Conference MPs and two from the PDP were present in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha when the announcement of scrapping of Article 370 and 35 A was made,” he said, adding that “all remained silent and didn’t raise voice then.”
The parliament, he said, represents 1.35 Crore people including those from J&K. “The NC and PDP MPs preferred to enjoy perks rather than resigning over Article 370 revocation,” Dr Jitendera said.
On the Roshni Scheme, the MoS in PMO said that anybody who is found involved would be taken to task. Lashing out at the leaders of regional political parties, Dr Jitendera said that they were used to winning in just 10 per cent voting and making their entries into the parliament. “Over 50 per cent turn out in DDC polls has unnerved them. Had there been less than 10 per cent voting, these parties would have been crying like anything and attributing it to the resentment against Article 370 revocation,” the BJP leader said.
The MoS in PMO said that militancy in J&K has become a vested interest for a large section that includes the political spectrum, business world and Roshni scam is its one aspect. Replying to a query on the regularization of daily wagers, he said BJP is committed to redeem the sins of its predecessors.
“First who employed Rahbar-e-Zirat, Rahbar-e-Taleem and the fact is that these people were employed after cash deals and through backdoor. We are sorting it out as to how they can be regularized,” he said.
On when 4-G mobile internet services can be restored, Dr Jitendera said that BJP and its political leaders have no objection to the restoration of high speed internet but there are some security concerns which need to be addressed.