‘NC should quit power’
Sheikh Ahmed
New Delhi, Sept 05: Awami National Conference has asked National Conference MPs to resign from their parliament seats to pressurise New Delhi into accepting the autonomy demand.
During a seminar organized by Institute of Social Science on the current situation in Kashmir, senior vice president of ANC Muzaffar Shah and other speakers asked senior National Conference leader and Member Parliament, Dr Mehboob Beg and his fellow party legislators to resign from their seats."What is the purpose of serving as elected representatives of the people of Jammu and Kashmir if their demands are ignored and rejected by the ruling Congress, which happens to be the coalition partner of NC,” said Shah.
"If you and your party members resign from the Parliament it will make such a big difference,” he told Beg.
Some other speakers also endorsed Shah's argument. Shah held the state government responsible for killing of civilians. He reiterated ANC’s demand for imposition of Governor's rule in the state.
Earlier initiating the discussion, Beg asked New Delhi not to delay political package for Jammu and Kashmir. "Do it without delay. A time will come when there will be no takers for even autonomy,” Beg said.
He admitted that political parties are facing credibility crisis in the state. “There is a need to change the mindset.”
Advocating restoration of autonomy, Beg said it is wrong to equate Kashmir issue with Nagaland and other states. “Jammu and Kashmir was the only state which negotiated Instrument of Accession with the Union of India,” he said.
Among others the seminar was attended by Humara Quershi, Rahul Jalali, Dr George Mathew, Dr Ash Naryaran Roy, Dr Muhammed Aslam and Pankaj Bhan.
The participants felt that priority should be given to break the cycle of violence by restoring confidence of Kashmiri people. To achieve this goal, they said, the state government must institute a judicial Inquiry to look into all the cases of civilian killings since May this year.
“All those boys arrested for stone pelting should be released on the occasion of Eid. This will be a good gesture on the part of the state government. Action is needed against those responsible for killing innocent youth,” they said.
The participants agreed to apprise Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister P Chidambram and other leaders about the views emerging from the seminar.
Dr Aslam of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) made a presentation on the socio-economic aspects of the ongoing crisis in the valley. He blamed Indian civil society of being “insensitive” to the problems of Kashmiri people.
