SRINAGAR: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday shot a letter to governor Satya Pal Malik expressing his party’s concern over the reported changes being proposed to the J&K permanent resident certificate (PRC) rules.
“My letter to @jandkgovernor on behalf of @JKNC_ placing on record our concern about reports of changes being proposed to the J&K permanent resident’s certificate rules,” Omar wrote on his Twitter handle.
Omar described the reported directions of Governor Malik in this regard as “an attempt to distort the demography of the state” and “detrimental to J-K’s special status”.
“We are obligated to write to you at a time when you are mulling changes to the permanent resident certificate rules. Our party, the National Conference, is of the opinion that this is an attempt to distort the demography of the state and finds it detrimental to J-K’s special status,” Omar said in a letter to the governor.
Asserting that the SAC was “unilaterally bringing changes” in the working of institutions and procedures in the state, the NC leader said it was against the principal and spirit of democracy and participative governance.
“The (media) reports say that directions have already been issued to the concerned officials to make changes in the procedure pertaining to the issuance of these certificates,” Omar said.
“It is highly unfortunate that no wider consultations with any political party of the state and other stakeholders were carried out,” he added.
The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said “any misadventure could disturb the fragile and precarious peace” in the sensitive state of Jammu and Kashmir.
“In addition, it is a brazen act to further create mistrust among people here and can have serious ramifications for the prospects of peace and harmony in J-K,” Abdullah said.
The NC leader also pointed out the timing of the SAC’s reported move.
“The assembly has been dissolved and elections are due within months. This makes the move of your administration open to question as we believe the role of the government is more in the nature of a caretaker government,” he said.
“Moreover, this move comes at a time when the state does not have a popularly elected government. The assembly has been dissolved and elections are due within months. This makes the move of your administration unethical,” Omar said in his letter.
He said “Our state is a sensitive state and any misadventure by the SAC could disturb the fragile and precarious peace here.”
“It is highly unfortunate that no wider consultations with any political party of the state and other stake holders were carried out,” he said.
He asked the governor to roll back the decision immediately, saying his party had decided to oppose it.
“We hope that you roll back any decision made in this regard immediately. We also want to convey and register our displeasure and a unanimous decision to oppose this move,” he said.
Reports said that the Jammu and Kashmir administration headed by governor Malik was contemplating to “simplify” the procedure for grant of PRCs.