Jammu, April 9 (Scoop News) – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti said that today was the black day in the democratic history of the State because voice of the main opposition was suppressed by the National Conference led government through autocratic means. She termed the behaviour of Speaker of J&K Legislative Assembly Mohammad Akbar Lone as fascist and undemocratic.
Addressing media persons outside the Legislative Assembly today,she said that PDP members were not allowed to speak on inter district recruitment bill, Mehbooba Mufti regretted that instead of listening voice of opposition to evolve consensus on important issues this dispensation has been brazenly adopting oppressive measures to stifle dissents voice.
“Today’s undemocratic action of the Speaker to pass the inter district recruitment Bill, with force, speaks about the fascist tendency of this dispensation”, she said and added that such actions of this government would proved disastrous for the democratic system in the State. “It was more or less a match fixing event”, she observed and the Bill was passed without adopting proper legislative procedure.
Recalling infamous 1987 assembly elections which were brazenly rigged by the National Conference, Mehbooba Mufti said that in 1987 NC had bulldozed the credibility of Election Commission of India and today the same party has ruined integrity of the Assembly-which is considered as highest democratic institution of the State.
“As the inter district recruitment is an important issue relating to the future of youth of the State, it was important to hold thorough discussion on the Bill to evolve consensus among all political parties”, she pointed and regretted that government has adopted undemocratic means to get this Bill passed without listening views of main opposition party. “We were attending proceedings of the House so that all aspects of the inter district recruitment Bill be discussed in the Assembly”, she said but regretted that the Bill was passed by violating all rules and regulations. Even senior leader of party Muzaffar Hussain Beigh was not allowed to speak on the House.
“I don’t know why government was in a hurry to get this Bill passed in such undemocratic and autocratic way?”, she asked, adding, “the way government has passed this Bill in the Assembly without listening voice of the opposition reflects that there was some thing fishy in whole episode”.
Lambasting NC for adopting double standard on this issue, Mehbooba said that in Jammu, this NC has been speaking in different language while in Kashmir Valley this party has launched a vicious propaganda to create regional divide on inter district recruitment.
Speaking on the occasion, former Finance Minister and senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Beigh said that passing of the inter district recruitment was a glaring example of backstabbing youth of Kashmir. “We are not against reservations to Scheduled Castes but is clearly mentioned in the Reservation Act that reservations should be made as per population proportion”, he argued and quoted clauses of the Reservation Act 2004. He further said that passing of the Bill with amendments was glaring example of violation of Reservation Act.
Beigh, the former Law Minister, said that Bill was passed through illegal means as the House was not in order when it passed with voice vote. “Members of PDP, BJP and NC were on their toes when Speaker passed the will with voice vote”, he pointed out and termed entire exercise of passing the Bill as undemocratic and unconstitutional.
“As per precedents of British and Indian Parliament first the leader of opposition should be allowed to initiative debate on such issues”, he said but regretted that without listening view point of the opposition the Bill was passed in chaotic manner.