J&K LG criticizes politicians who did not attend UT Foundation Day

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday criticised the politicians who did not attend the Union Territory Foundation Day, saying it reflected their “dual character.”

“I am seeing that those who took oath as MLA of a Union Territory and often refer to the Constitution of India (are not here),” Sinha said in his address at the UT’s fifth Foundation Day.

“The ground reality is that it is a UT today. When it is made a state, and we want it to be a state, we will celebrate Statehood Foundation Day as well. This shows their dual character,” he added.

The National Conference did not attend the event, nor did People’s Conference leader Sajad Gani Lone and CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, who said the administration went ahead with the programme despite people “clearly voting” against it.

The erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was turned into a Union Territory in 2019 after the abrogation of Article 370 that granted the state a special status.

Sinha said, “Jammu and Kashmir is a Union Territory. We will have to accept that reality. The PM has said in the parliament and also the Home Minister that delimitation first, elections second and then statehood at the appropriate time.”

The LG called the five years of the UT “an era of peace, prosperity and development.”

On the delay in Panchayat and urban local bodies elections, Sinha said these polls had to be deferred due to some constitutional issues.

“The Panchayati Raj institutions and the ULBs have a big contribution to the development of Jammu and Kashmir. Due to some constitutional difficulties, those elections could not be held. There were Lok Sabha and Assembly elections and reservation for OBCs was not extended yet,” he said.

“Now Parliament has passed it (OBC reservation), I am sure preparations are being made for those polls in coming days,” he added. (PTI)