Jammu: A group of former legislators belonging to different political parties held a meeting on Saturday here, terming the situation in Jammu and Kashmir as “chaotic” and demanded early resumption of a democratic political process.
The legislators including former ministers, MLAs and MLCs affiliated with National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party and Congress also expressed serious concern over “rampant corruption” in some of the government offices and sought intervention of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in checking the system.
Issuing a statement after the meeting held under the leadership of former National Conference MLA Qazi Jalal-ud-Din, the participants said the former legislators and political workers of Jammu and Kashmir have a constructive role in steering the erstwhile state out of the current “political impasse”.
“We cannot be mute spectators to the current situation. Instead, we will be reaching out to the masses and administration in an attempt to bridge the gap between the government and the people,” the statement issued under the banner of the ‘ex-legislators council’ said.
It said the council discussed the current political, social and economic situation prevailing in Jammu and Kashmir and was of the opinion that the current impasse on the restoration of a political process has only added to the miseries of the general masses.
It sought intervention of the Lt Governor to impress upon the Union government for resumption of political process, the statement said.
The meeting was attended by former ministers Ram Paul, Jagjivan Lal and Haji Nissar, former MLA Gul Rafiquee and ex-MLCs Kashmira Singh, Brij Mohan Sharma, B L Bhat, Depinder Kour, Iqbal Butt and Firdous Tak.
“The participants observed that a delay by the Union government in restoring the democratic political system in Jammu and Kashmir creates an adverse effect and negates the very purpose of a federal structure,” the statement said.
The participants said the political leadership, be it from regional or national parties, have sacrificed and given their blood to nurture political democratic space in the trouble-torn Jammu and Kashmir.
“In the absence of a public representative government, the masses were facing several problems and programmes and policies were being made in cozy official spaces of the civil secretariat. There is a complete gap between the administration and general masses,” the statement said.
It alleged that the people are running from pillar to post to get their grievances and issues redressed but only to be turned away.
“The prevailing system needs to be immediately checked,” the meeting resolved and urged the Lt Governor to personally check the system which was proving “detrimental for the interest” of Jammu and Kashmir and the government.
One of the participants said the former legislators are coming together for the larger interest of Jammu and Kashmir.
“It is the need of the hour for the political leadership of all parties to raise above their party ideologies and contribute to take out Jammu and Kashmir from the prevailing situation,” the leader said, asking not to be named.
