J-K: Political Parties Oppose More Powers Given To Lt Guv, Omar Says CM Post Made 'Powerless’

Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have strongly condemned the Centre's move to grant additional powers to the Lieutenant Governor.

File photo of National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah, chief of the Apni Party Altaf Bukhari, and PDP media advisory Iltija Mufti.

Source : PTI

Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir expressed strong disapproval on Saturday over the Centre's move to grant more powers to the Union Territory's Lieutenant Governor concerning police matters and all-India service officers.

All the key regional parties, including the National Conference (NC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP), argued that the move would "disempower" residents of Jammu and Kashmir. The Congress described it as a "murder of democracy," while the Apni Party called for unified opposition against the decision.

According to PTI, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah hit out at the decision, suggesting that the people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve more than a "powerless, rubber stamp" chief minister dependent on the Lieutenant Governor for even appointments of the peon. Abdullah also indicated that the move suggests elections in J&K are imminent, emphasising the need for a clear timeline for the restoration of full statehood.

"This is why a firm commitment laying out the timeline for restoration of full, undiluted statehood for J&K is a prerequisite for these elections. The people of J&K deserve better than powerless, rubber stamp CM who will have to beg the LG to get his/her peon appointed," the NC vice president said.

NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq accused the BJP-led government of the Centre's decision as "a blatant misuse of power" and "disempower" the people of Kashmir. "It is aimed only at weakening the democratic voice of the people of J-K. The Central government's preference of granting powers to an unelected lieutenant governor instead of an elected government is a clear attempt to undermine the future of a democratically elected government in J-K," he said, PTI reported.

Sadiq indicated the order that depicts the empowering of the people of J-K by non-serious Delhi. "We were promised by none less than the Prime Minister and the Home Minister of India that the statehood would be restored, this order nullifies all of that. This is saddening," he added.

Order Is Trying To Disempower Powers Of Elected Government In J&K: Iltija Mufti

Iltija Mufti, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti's daughter and her media advisory, said that the order is trying to disempower the powers of an elected government in Jammu and Kashmir. "At a time when there's been considerable speculation about GOI holding elections in J&K this new MHA order & farmaan widening the already unbridled powers of an unelected LG make a few things abundantly clear," Iltija Mufti mentioned in a post on her social media handle X.

At a time when there’s been considerable speculation about GOI holding elections in J&K this new MHA order & farmaan widening the already unbridled powers of an unelected LG makes a few things abundantly clear-
1) Assembly elections will be conducted this year itself
2) GOI is… https://t.co/Olb1TqUfVo

— Iltija Mufti (@IltijaMufti_) July 13, 2024

"The order seeks to disempower the powers of the next J&K state government only because BJP doesn't want to cede control or lose its iron grip over Kashmiris. Statehood is out of the question. An elected government in J&K will be reduced to a municipality," she added.

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president, Vikar Rasool Wani, coined this move as a "murder of democracy". "The murder of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir is evident before the restoration of proper democracy and statehood. MHA gave more powers, including the Police, Law and order, and the transfer of officers etc have been vested in the LG," Wani wrote in a post on X.

At a time when there’s been considerable speculation about GOI holding elections in J&K this new MHA order & farmaan widening the already unbridled powers of an unelected LG makes a few things abundantly clear-
1) Assembly elections will be conducted this year itself
2) GOI is… https://t.co/Olb1TqUfVo

— Iltija Mufti (@IltijaMufti_) July 13, 2024

Altaf Bukhari, the chief of the Apni Party, requested the political parties in Jammu and Kashmir to put aside their differences and speak out against the Centre's action as a unit. "This new decision aims at making the state hollow in which no powers will be left for an elected government... The people of Jammu and Kashmir do not support this," Bukhari said during a media conference, PTI quoted as saying

Bukhari, a former minister, stated that if the Centre wants to create a "powerless assembly" in Jammu and Kashmir, we will not accept it. "If they want the chief minister to be a toothless tiger and befool the people, then I do not think this will solve any of the issues confronting the people of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

As per the Apni Party chief, this is a problem that affects all political parties equally. "We appeal to all parties to shun political differences and come together on this issue. If we cannot stand united today, then we will never be. We should ensure that the statehood that we get is not hollow and has all powers to serve people," he said. "We have to be united to serve the interests of the people," Bukhari also said.

The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir has been granted additional authority by the Central Government to make decisions regarding law enforcement, officers from all-India services like the IAS and IPS, and to approve prosecution in different cases. It will also decide regarding the appointment of advocate general and other law officers, besides matters related to the anti-corruption bureau.