Azad bats for early Assembly polls in J&K, says denying people democratic right unconstitutional

Democratic Progressive Azad Party chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday advocated early Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir and said denying people their democratic right is unconstitutional. Addressing a workers' gathering at Bhagwah village of Dessa in Doda district, the former chief minister lashed out at the Lt Governor-led administration in the Union Territory, saying "misgovernance and lack of transparency in the system has pushed the people to the wall."

"It is unconstitutional to deny people for so long their democratic right to choose their representatives. Jammu and Kashmir which was one of the oldest states of the country cannot be governed administratively," Azad said.

He said the central government must hold Assembly elections without further delay.


"The people of Jammu and Kashmir need development, good governance and public participation to keep democracy alive in this part of the country. Whatever good I had done in Jammu and Kashmir as chief minister, the present regime is destroying it brick by brick," he said and referred to the scrapping of the Roshni scheme.

"Be it the Roshni scheme, or other socioeconomic projects all have been targeted and people are systematically disempowered," he alleged.

Under the Roshni scheme, he said, people were empowered to secure their livelihoods, hospitals were built for the proper treatment of patients, and roads were built to connect people and improve the economy.

"You can see now not only land rights were snatched, these hospitals have staff deficiency, roads are not maintained which has hit the economy of common people," he said.

Azad promised his workers that if his party is elected to power, he will restore the Roshni scheme and create abundant job opportunities for the local youth.

He also assured employment to labourers who are forced to migrate to other states in search of livelihood.