Jammu: Ashok Kumar Former MLA, Ramban has expressed serious concerns to the Government of India in delaying the restoration of Statehood and electoral process in Jammu and Kashmir as the gap between the common people of Jammu and Kashmir and present Government is increasing day by day. Ashok has strongly urged to the Central government for the complete restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir Union territory along with protection of jobs and land rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. In a statement, he said that government of India has hurt the self esteemed of the people by reducing the status of the J&K from statehood to Union territory. A phenomenon never happed in 73 years of Independence. He also stated that restoration of full statehood to J&K, adequate legal and constitutional guarantees to safeguard the rights of the local over land, jobs and admission in professional institutions. Ashok said the Government of India is deliberately delaying the restoration of Statehood in J&K and playing with political aspirations of the people in both Jammu and Kashmir is the visible mockery of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir.
Ashok has further said that state has larger geographical areas as compare to the Union territories. State has separate elected government to frame their own laws on the contrary, Union territory is small administrative units that is ruled by Union Government at Centre. He said our Jammu and Kashmir Union territory has large geographical area along with larger rural tracts comprising of larger 20 districts. Thus, it deserve statehood at the earliest so that there would be decentralization of power up to ground levels citizens which is only possible after the complete restoration of the statehood and bringing back the lost political space in J&K. Newly elected DDC members also lacks the power and at some place they are working Fashion is similar to beaurocracy culture. People in J&K have no political representation.
Ashok has said that the central government has already given assurances for restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir. He stressed that development of Jammu and Kashmir is only possible when there is statehood. He further said statehood is the constitutional right of the people of J&K and there is complete violation of our constitutional rights and also violation of personal rights of the people of J&K.
Ashok has said that India’s federal structure is a part of basic structure of Constitution of India. This would mean that parliament cannot convert all states into union territories through the amendment of Article 1 of the Indian Constitution. Under Article 3 state have to remain states may be larger size or smaller size or may be with new name or new boundary. He demanded that first restore our Jammu and Kashmir UT into complete statehood and political processes should be initiated only after the restoration of Statehood.
Ashok has appealed to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir especially, the youth to unite and work collectively for restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir. Its about the future of people of J&K. He also appealed to the NGOs, Social Workers, Political party activists and intellectual of J&K to work collectively for the restoration of statehood in J&K then only we can secure our the political aspirations.
