Urges CM to call emergency Assembly Session within two days; Says Assembly, not Cabinet, is right forum for Statehood resolution
Srinagar, Aug 14: Peoples Conference President and MLA Handwara Sajad Gani Lone on Thursday raised serious concerns over the way the matter of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood has been taken to the Supreme Court, calling it “very dangerous” to allow individuals without mandate or credibility to handle issues of such constitutional importance.
“It will be interesting to see who went to the Supreme Court for statehood. ‘Tom, Dick, Harry’ type of direct access into matters of such constitutional importance as statehood is very, very dangerous,” Lone said. “Who is presenting our case? Who is the lawyer? Is he competent and honest in representing us?”
Questioning the very process, Lone asked, “How will the Supreme Court intervene and take a decision on such an important matter without seeking the opinion of the elected government or the Assembly? Two people get up, hire a lawyer, approach the Supreme Court to adjudicate on a matter which pertains to our destiny. It seems the option of staying away from courts as a matter of strategy is not available to the people of Kashmir.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelPetitioners, it seems, will be invented.”
Turning his attention to the Chief Minister, Lone offered what he termed as “one unsolicited advice”: “You have dealt with BJP in the past. I too have dealt with them. When talking to them, what matters is not what they tell you. What matters is what they don’t tell you.”
In a sharp political message, he urged the CM, “Get off your high horse. Stop persecuting opposition. Stop punitive transfers. Restrain your ministers from—you know what I mean. And make a common front for statehood. First.”
Underscoring the role of democratic institutions, PC President asserted, “The institution for that is the Assembly, not the Cabinet. You could have sent that resolution to the Supreme Court today if you had allowed us to pass that resolution.”
Concluding with a call for urgent action, Lone said, “Trust me, a very sincere advice—call an emergency session in the next two days and let us pass a resolution.”