Decision on J&K bank attempt to fiddle with state’s spl tag: Mehbooba

SRINAGAR: Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday criticised the decision to treat Jammu and Kashmir Bank as a pubic sector undertaking, saying it "smacks of attempts to fiddle with the basic character of the state's special status".

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president called for immediate rollback of the decision taken by Governor SP Malik-led state administrative council (SAC). She alleged “assaults on multiple fronts” were being launched against Jammu and Kashmir's special status and the administration “is taking away” autonomy of institutions that the state enjoyed.

“The J-K Bank is part of this game plan and this was the reason PDP came together with the National Conference and the Congress to form a government and prevent such interventions,” she said in a statement.

"The Governor administration is taking such decisions which smack of attempts to fiddle with the basic character of the state's special status,” she said.

Mehbooba said the Governor's rule in the state is not a permanent arrangement. The administration must concentrate on dayto-day functioning of the state and desist from taking decisions of far reaching consequences, she said. “Such actions raise apprehensions among the people of the state," the PDP chief.

She alleged that attempts by her party at government formation were "undemocratically" foiled by the Governor, and asked him to review his decisions and roll them back at an earliest.