NEW DELHI CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Tuesday questioned the central government for not announcing the dates for assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
If Lok Sabha polls can be held in Jammu and Kashmir, why is security a problem for assembly polls in the state? asked Yechury.
The CPI (M) general secretary raised the issue of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir during a discussion on Jammu and Kashmir at Aaj Tak security summit on Tuesday.
The Election Commission of India announced the dates for general election 2019 but did not announce the dates of assembly elections for Jammu and Kashmir.
The delay in the announcement of assembly polls has drawn severe criticism for the regional parties in the state.
Yechury said the central government needs to separate the people of Jammu and Kashmir from separatists if it intends to find a solution to the Kashmir issue.
He said: Two things are required: confidence building measures and political process of dialogue with all stakeholders.
Recounting the roadmap by all-party delegation to J&K, he said, that the parties had stressed on the need to initiate confidence-building measures and initiate dialogue with all stakeholders.
He said three years later, situation has changed on the ground, but the solutions remains the same.
Yechury added there should be no politicisation of action by the Indian Air Force.
After Balakot airstrike, we stood united and applauded the Air Force. BJPs Amit Shah started politicisation when he said that their government wasnt like Congress, the CPI (M) leader said.
BJP Supports ECI Decision
The J&K unit of the BJP Tuesday supported the Election Commission’s (EC) decision to defer assembly election in the state due to security reasons.
The Election Commission had on Sunday announced the schedule for Lok Sabha election but decided to defer the assembly elections in J-K drawing sharp reactions from leaders of various political parties in the state.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said criticism by some parties, who had boycotted the recently held panchayat and urban local bodies elections, was not justified.
“Though the BJP was ready for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the Assembly polls, we welcome the decision of the EC to conduct parliamentary elections alone,” state BJP president Ravinder Raina said here.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of inaugurating the party’s election office for Jammu-Poonch parliamentary constituency here, Raina said the terror attacks in Pulwama and Jammu bus stand besides the continuous shelling by Pakistan along the borders had caused fear and panic among the people.
“In such a situation, the EC might had thought it fit to hold Lok Sabha election followed by assembly polls. We welcome whatever the decision has been taken because the lives and property of the citizens are more important than anything else,” he said.
“Conducting parliamentary elections is more easy than the Assembly elections. We have only six Lok Sabha seats, while the state assembly has 87 seats and it was bound to put pressure on the security apparatus,” he said.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
