Centre misleading apex court on normalcy in J&K, says Azad
JAMMU: Leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha and senior Congress leader, Ghulam Nabi Azad, on Friday, said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led central government is misleading the Supreme Court on “normalcy and restoration of internet” in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing media persons here on the last leg of his two-day visit to the UT for executive committee meeting of the party, Azad said, “Since I had to send some documents and messages to Delhi, I had been trying to locate internet on my cell phone for the past two days but it was of no use. It appears the government is trying to mislead the Supreme Court on communication blockade.”
On January 10, the apex court had asked the Centre to review internet curbs in J&K.
The mobile internet remains suspended in J&K since August 4 last year. Following harsh observations by the SC, the government late Tuesday declared restoration of 2G mobile internet in Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur and Reasi districts.
“It (mobile internet) was there for one hour from 8 am to 9 am on Friday and thereafter was snapped,” said Azad.
Azad alleged that the BJP government was trying to mislead the people of the country and the world about normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Situation is getting worse with each passing day but the government is trying to give an impression that everything is fine here. Had it been so then why internet remains suspended and why political leaders of various parties remain under detention for the past for the past over five months,” he asked.
He also sought to know crimes committed by such political leaders and laws under which they have been detained.
“Some politicians were released after 46, 50, and 76 days and few were released recently on health grounds but only after furnishing bonds that they would not go to any public meeting. Is it a democracy or an emergency has been declared?” he asked.
Among political prisoners three former Cms—farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti remain under detention since August 4.
The former CM also said that his party would launch an agitation for restoration of statehood to J&K.
“We have decided to take our agitation to a logical conclusion because full statehood is indispensable to protect rights of the people of J&K,” he said.
“Then, considering our culture and problem of unemployment, we also want exclusive rights to our land and jobs for the natives of J&K,” he asserted.
Azad said that there was no normalcy, whatsoever, in J&K as projected by the Centre and that unemployment has spiraled while business, trade, industry, tourism and transport have been left in ruins since August 5.
Azad also took a swipe at the BJP saying, “It will not be able to understand the complexities of Jammu and Kashmir even if it is born five times.”
He also informed that the party also passed a resolution vis-à-vis Jammu and Kashmir.