J&K govt should stay away from UT foundation day celebrations: Sajad Lone

SRINAGAR: Peoples’ Conference chief Sajad Lone on Wednesday asked Chief Minister Omar Abdullah-led government in Jammu and Kashmir to stay away from the Union Territory foundation day celebrations, saying it should be remembered as the day of “disempowerment”.

The ruling National Conference (NC) has already said it will not participate in the celebrations.

“Why should they rub salt into the wounds of the people of J&K. First they relegate the politically most empowered state in India to a UT.

“And now they have the audacity to celebrate it, commemorate it. The elected government should stay away from all such commemorations which disdainfully showcase the collective servitude of the people of J&K,” Lone said on X.

Lone, an MLA from north Kashmir’s Handwara, said the UT status either signifies that the people of Kashmir are “incapable of running their affairs or that they cannot be trusted to run the affairs” of J&K.

“The onus is on the central government to give an answer and tick the right box. And instead we should remember this day as the day of disempowerment,” he said.

The separatist-turned-mainstream politician said, “It is a humble appeal to the elected government to stop taking the knee in Delhi. And stop beating drums of triumphalism. There is no triumph.”

Lone said the people of J&K are the ultimate losers and they are being pushed to the brink by these commemorative events, which in essence are “events of humiliation”.

Meanwhile, senior CPI(M) leader and Kulgam MLA M Y Tarigami said celebrating the UT foundation day is “disrespectful” to the people of J&K.

“The Prime Minister and the (Union) Home Minister should fulfil their promises on statehood. The Prime Minister has admitted that large section of people in J&K have participated in assembly elections.

“They have expressed their support for the restoration of statehood. Celebrating UT foundation day is disrespectful to the people of J&K,” he said.

Abdullah’s National Conference (NC) party has already said it will stay away from the UT foundation day celebrations on October 31 as it does not accept the status and wants restoration of statehood at the earliest.

“No one from the party will attend the UT foundation day function as we don’t accept the status,” NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq told reporters here.

The NC believes that the decision taken on August 5, 2019 to bifurcate the erstwhile state into two UTs, JK and Ladakh, is “illegal, unconstitutional and immoral”, Sadiq said. (PTI)