Jammu: J&K National Conference strongly objected to the inclusion of non-local voters in the electoral rolls in Jammu and Kashmir, terming it as a great threat to demography.
In this context, a day-long workshop on “Special Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls in Jammu and Kashmir” was organized at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhawan Jammu.
The workshop was organized by Babu Rampaul, former Minister and Central Zone President in which the Provincial President National Conference Jammu Rattan Lal Gupta was the Chief Guest while, District and Block Presidents of the National Conference from Jammu, Samba, and Kathua participated.
Addressing the workshop, the Provincial President said that the recent announcement of the Chief Electoral Officer with regard to the accumulation of new 25 lakh voters, including outsiders as well as people ordinarily residing in the state in the next assembly election, has created confusion and uneasiness among the people. He said that the electoral demographic change is being forced by the BJP through the inclusion of temporary voters. He said that the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir are being trampled.
The senior NC leader said the ruling government at the centre has started the process of taking away the peoples’ rights and diluting public will here on August 5, 2019 and now they have added a new chapter to it by saying they will add non-local voters. They are trying hard to change the identity, democratic rights, and electoral demography of the people of Jammu & Kashmir, but it is not acceptable to the people of Jammu & Kashmir under any circumstances, he said. He asserted that the National Conference will never tolerate such a type of hypocrisy in the state.
Rattan Lal Gupta asserted that the people of all sections have fed up with the hollow policies of the BJP, and that’s why elections are being, delayed for fear of losing polls. The fact is that the BJP government has failed to deliver to the people on all fronts and would be wiped out of J&K whenever assembly elections take place in the state, he added.
Ajay Sadhotra, senior NC leader and the former minister said that the central government has made a mockery of participatory democracy in J&K by giving voting rights to non-locals. He questioned the very formation of the federal Legislative Assembly because by allowing the outsiders to vote, the concerned constitutional body is killing the purpose of delegating power to the masses to elect the political representatives of their choice to run the government. He questioned, “What is the fun of having a federal legislative Assembly if unrelated people are able to influence the government formation?”
Khalid Najeed Suharwardy, Vice President National Conference Jammu Province said that one after another attempt is being made to weaken democracy in the J&K and it is the time that entire opposition should stand like a rock to stop the ruling party BJP from devastating the democracy in the region.
Babu Rampaul, President Central Zone NC, and former Minister presented a vote of thanks especially to the District and Block Presidents of Jammu, Samba, and Kathua district for participating in the workshop. He assured the Provincial President that as per the outcome of the workshop the party cadre will work with great dedication to strengthening the agenda of the Party and will also involve themselves in the process of upcoming rolls in the state.
