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Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference President and MLA Handwara Sajad Lone on Thursday said it has now become a matter of record that National Conference and BJP together voted against key issues concerning Kashmiris while amendments to the Governor’s Address were put to vote in the J&K Assembly.
Speaking to media persons, Lone explained the process, stating that amendments moved to the Governor’s Address are either accepted, withdrawn or voted upon. “So let me tell you what our National Conference brothers, along with the BJP, voted against,” he said.
Lone said one of the amendments sought to highlight the attacks on Kashmiris outside Jammu and Kashmir and the absence of any serious action by other states.
“There is no mention of Kashmiris being beaten outside. There is no mention of what action was taken. They jointly voted against even mentioning this,” he said, adding that these were human beings being harassed and assaulted. “They kept saying there is an ‘institution’. If there is an institution, tell us how many attacks happened and in how many cases FIRs were lodged,” he asked.
PC President further said that amendments seeking mention of the regularization of daily wage workers, HDF employees, NREGA workers and Rehbar-e-Khel employees were also rejected. “They effectively said no, we do not even want to mention them,” he remarked.
On employment, Lone said the amendment regarding the promise of one lakh jobs for youth and the demand for age relaxation in combined examinations from 32 to 37 years was also voted down. “They said no, we won’t speak about it,” he added.
Calling it the “most amusing part,” Lone said even an amendment regarding the establishment of a National Law University in Kashmir at Ompora, Budgam, a promise made by the Chief Minister himself, was rejected.
“They voted against that too. May God let our people know what the National Conference and BJP together voted against in the Assembly,” he said.
On the reservation issue, Lone reiterated that Kashmir faces a serious imbalance in government employment. “Kashmir’s population is 60 percent, but our share in jobs is only 28 percent. There is a 32 percent deficit, and this is not because of Open Merit, it is because of reservations,” he said, adding that even the proposed 10 percent addition to Open Merit would not correct the mismatch by more than two percent.
