Srinagar: J&K Peoples Conference President Sajad Lone has strongly denounced the draft proposal for the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the J&K Assembly, calling it “the most explicit and unforgivable ratification of August 5, 2019, changes.”
He warned that its endorsement would “effectively end, once and for all, any scope for a legal challenge to the August 5 changes in the future.”
Expressing his dismay, Lone stated, “While we dreamt of an unambiguous resolution by the new assembly rejecting August 5, 2019… now we have a shocker.”
He further accused, “The same assembly is being used to bury any such chances of legal challenges in the future. The present assembly, reflecting the will of the people of J&K, will now be remembered as the endorser, not the rejector, of August 5, 2019.”
Criticizing the composition of the committee that framed the draft, Lone remarked, “The ruling NC-led government purposely constituted a committee with seven ruling alliance members and two BJP members. There was no one from Kashmir-based opposition parties or MLAs.”
He added, “This committee endorses all changes made on August 5, 2019. By virtue of this draft, they even take away references to the J&K Constitution and bills governing permanent residents from the rules.”
Labeling it “such a cruel joke at the expense of the people of Kashmir,” Lone accused the NC and BJP of a covert agreement to normalize August 5, 2019. “First, they script the context. NC starts the ‘all are BJP’ discourse. Second, the BJP mysteriously behaves in a manner that endorses that discourse. The discourse is strengthened and then elections are announced.”
Lone further stated that the people of J&K, to some extent, subscribe to the “all others are BJP” discourse, while the agencies—led by a retired old war horse, in continuous engagement with the NC for the past three years—ensure total compliance of the agencies in favor of the NC.
“This 42-seat lottery is a gift to endorse. The NC is the master endorser of all the changes that Delhi had brought in,” he stated.
Drawing historical parallels, Lone recalled the past “gifts” given in exchange for endorsements, citing the 1975 arrangement where a government was formed without MLAs to approve the constitutional erosions from 1950 to 1975.
“The 1996 gift of government on a platter by conducting an exercise of selection in Kashmir and calling it an election—that was to endorse the killings and acts of violence committed by the state. And now, the 2024 gift to endorse changes made on August 5, 2019,” he added.
Concluding with a stark reflection, Lone remarked, “It is a curse to be an MLA of an assembly that will be remembered for endorsing August 5.”
