Chidambaram terms Centre’s polls first policy for J&K ‘bizarre’
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Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, in a collection of tweets on Friday, stated it’s ‘bizarre’ that the Centre needs to carry elections in Jammu and Kashmir first and grant statehood later.
Mr. Chidambaram stated the Congress and different events in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) need statehood first and elections later.
“Congress and other J&K parties and leaders want Statehood first and Elections afterward. Government’s response is Elections first and Statehood later. The horse pulls the cart. A State must conduct elections. Only such elections will be free and fair. Why does the government want the cart in front and the horse behind? It is bizarre,” he added.
His feedback come a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with 14 political leaders from J&K in a first outreach after the erstwhile State was buifrcated and downgraded right into a Union Territory (UT) on August 5, 2019.
Echoing Mr. Chidambaram, his get together colleague, Kapil Sibal tweeted, “Modiji’s Kashmir policy: Ally with PDP. Break alliance. Impose Governor’s Rule. No elections. No Assemblies. Divide State into two. Abrogate 370. Promises in Parliament. Put leaders in jail. Welcome them in PMO. Polls first, Statehood later!”.
On Thursday, Mr. Modi had instructed the leaders that the Centre is dedicated to strengthening grassroots democracy in J&K for which delimitation — the method of redrawing of boundaries of legislative constituencies — has to accomplished rapidly in order that polls will be held.
Home Minister Amit Shah knowledgeable the leaders on the assembly that the delimitation train and holding of peaceable elections within the UT are essential milestones in restoring Statehood.
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