Srinagar, July 11: Chairman People’s Conference Sajjad Lone on Thursday said it was essential that the state assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir be held as scheduled.
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The surge in militant attacks in the Jammu region has cast a pall over eagerly awaited assembly elections in the union territory, which was last held in 2014 and is now under direct central government rule.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Kashmir last month, said preparations had begun for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. In December last year, the Supreme Court had directed the central government to hold the state assembly elections by September 30.
“It is imperative that state assembly elections are held as scheduled. I truly believe that only a government that is accountable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and KS has the right to govern and administer Jammu and Kashmir,” Lone posted on X.
The PC leader appealed to the Indian government to end this suffering and stop behaving like individuals.
“Let my worst electoral rival be elected. I prefer that government a million times more than foreign governments that have the illusion that they are stakeholders and have political and social sanctity.”
“They will not accept. They will never accept. A non-resident government will not be accepted here or in any part of India. Will those who are at the helm here accept a non-resident government in their state? I humbly appeal to the Government of India, let this suffering end. Stop behaving as individuals and start behaving as an organisation,” he said.
“First, give us back statehood. Not as a charity, but as a right. Hold elections and hand everything over to a new government,” he added. “For better or worse, the people will elect, and whoever is elected will govern, just like in the rest of the country.”
“No government is perfect. There can be no perfect government. Let the newly elected government come to power, even with its imperfections, just like in any other state. Let’s not give the impression that we are at war with our own people in Jammu and Kashmir,” Lone said. (News Agency)
