NC bulldozed state’s autonomy: PC
Cites series of presidential orders that eroded state’s special status
Srinagar: Reacting to the statement issued by NC that no Constitutional Order eroding State’s autonomy was issued during the tenure of late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Peoples Conference on Friday said that it reflects the party’s ignorance about historical and constitutional facts.
“The NC, in its statement, asked how can the number of Constitutional Orders be in hundreds when only 47 such orders have been issued in respect of J&K. May I educate them that apart from Orders issued under Art. 370, the President of India issues such orders under various other provision of the Constitution of India including orders under Art 371B, 371C, 371D, 372A and many other provisions of the Constitution. All these orders are issued as Constitutional Orders. Some of them relate to Art. 370,” Peoples Conference spokesperson, Adnan Ashraf Mir said in a statement.
Adnan said that the National Conference is resorting to lies and abuses as they are lost for an argument to hide their role in weakening the special status of J&K.
“Can the National Conference inform the people who was the CM of the State on June 29,1975, and with whose consent the then President F. A. Ahmad issued C.O No. 100? Who was CM and with whose consent C.O No. 101 was issued by the then President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad on July 23, 1975, whereby all erosions made in the past were ratified and a clause was inserted in Art. 368 restraining the State Legislature from amending any provision of the State Constitution relating to appointment of Governor unless such a bill is presented to the President of India and receives his assent. This amendment made it impossible for the State Legislature to revert to the Prime Minister and Sadr-i-Riyasat by subsequent amendment as the President of India would never assent to such an amendment. It was with the consent of Sheikh Sahab’s government that C.O 103 dated 22nd March 1976, C.O 104 dated October 12, 1976, C.O No. 106 dated December 31, 1976, and C.O No. 108 dated December 31, 1977, were issued by the President of India,” he asked.
Asserting that the National Conference has time and again exploited the sentiments of the people of Kashmir in the name of safeguarding J&K’s special status, Adnan said that time has come for the National Conference to be answerable and accountable for their past misadventures.
“The people of the state deserve to know about NC’s central role in the erosion of Article 370. There is a strong correlation between the 1974 Sheikh-Indira Accord and the frequency of Constitutional Application Orders issued between 1974 and 1977. Will the National Conference still say that no Application Order was issued during the tenure of late Sheikh sahib? Facts speak for themselves. The sun will still come out and spread the light even if they wish it to be dark outside,” he concluded.
