J &K leader Altaf Bukhari urges parties to unitedly protest against centre vesting more powers on L-G

Srinagar: Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari on Saturday appealed to Jammu and Kashmir's political parties to shun differences and unitedly raise voices against the Centre's move to vest more powers to the Union Territory's lieutenant governor.

The Centre has vested more powers to the L-G of Jammu and Kashmir for taking decisions on police, officers of all-India services such as the IAS and the IPS, and giving sanctions for prosecution in various cases.

Decisions regarding the appointment of advocate general and other law officers, besides matters related to the anti-corruption bureau, will also be taken by the L-G.

"Our state was downgraded and bifurcated in 2019. Parliament was promised that full statehood would be restored (in Jammu and Kashmir). The Supreme Court said so and the prime minister and home minister had also assured that.

"But this new decision aims at making the state hollow in which no powers will be left for an elected government... The people of Jammu and Kashmir do not support this," Bukhari said at a press conference here.

The Union Home Ministry gave more powers to the Jammu and Kashmir L-G by amending the rules under the Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which was enacted for the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh while abrogating Article 370.

Bukhari, a former minister, said if the Centre wants to create a "powerless assembly" in Jammu and Kashmir, it will not be acceptable.

"Jammu and Kashmir assembly used to be the most powerful. If they (the Centre) cannot give us a powerful assembly, at least they should give us an assembly which is on par with the (assemblies in) the rest of the country.

"If they want the chief minister to be a toothless tiger and befool the people, then I do not think this will solve any of the issues confronting the people of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

The Apni Party chief said this is not an issue that affects any one political party.

"It affects our future. We appeal to all parties to shun political differences and come together on this issue. If we cannot stand united today, then we will never be. We should ensure that the statehood that we get is not hollow and has all powers to serve people," he said.

"We have to be united to serve the interests of the people. That can only be achieved if we have a strong government and a strong chief minister. We will have discussions with other political parties on the issue. We will go with the unanimous decision of all the parties," Bukhari said.

He also appealed to the Centre to release Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, alias Engineer Rashid, from Tihar jail.

"Why is he not released even after securing five lakh votes? This is shameful. In a democracy, people show their will and they have spoken. Rashid should be released," Bukhari said.