Srinagar July 29 (KNS): , Stating that he was not averse to the reservation for migrants in the State legislature, former law minister Syed Basharat Bukhari has said though that , any reservation should be made in the council instead of assembly . He said granting reservations to assembly was tantamount to murdering people's mandate and rendering the democratic system of electing public representatives redundant .
While participating in a discussion on the other day, Mr. Bukhari expressed his displeasure over the "procedure " for giving reservation to migrants in the assembly .
" I am not averse to the reservation for migrants, but i certainly have reservations over the process the way it is being done. You can't pick people and place them in between those who have come with people's mandate. There is a proper way to give them reservations and that is the Legislative Council. Even during our tenure , we had two Pundit brothers Mr. Ajay Raina Bharti and Mr. Surender Ambardar in the legislative council and no one stopped them from raising the issues related to their community i,e Kashmiri Pandits ." Said Basharat Bukhari, adding that now, " if you are hell bent on demolishing the democracy in J&K, so be it, but why deprive Sikhs and other communities of the same ." ?
The former minister further said, that the legislative assembly should be left to people to decide who they choose to represent rather than anybody overpowering their ( voters) choice.? He also said that Sikh community was an integral part of society and they should in no way be ignored while empowering other communities .(KNS)