J&K Cong lashes out at BJP-led govt, accuses it of destroying erstwhile state

On the completion of the first year of the Modi government's second term, the Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress on Saturday accused the Centre of subverting the Constitution by dividing the erstwhile state into two Union territories and downgrading its status.

The J&K Congress also claimed that the first year of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second term has proved to be the worst as the economic structure of the country has totally shattered with unemployment and prices being at their peaks.

“Each and every institution is being used to further the political interests of the BJP rather than for the nation-building. The Constitution was subverted when the state of Jammu and Kashmir was divided and downgraded, taking the entire country by surprise,” J&K Pradesh Congress Committee chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said in a statement here.

He also said the move destroyed the state “politically and economically”.

“The entire state was put under an unprecedented curfew, citizens' rights were taken away and hundreds of leaders, including former chief ministers and other top leaders of the Congress and other mainstream parties, were arrested or detained without any justification, which will always be remembered in the history of Indian democracy,” he said.

The former legislator said downgrading the "glorious" Jammu and Kashmir state to the stature of Union territories was a "big blunder" of the Modi government.

“The historical state lost its identity after it was downgraded to UT. The Modi government has hurt the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

Slamming the Centre for having “no policy” for the youths of Jammu and Kashmir, he said, “The government lacks vision for J&K youth and they have no policy for them either. The promise made that no one will lose one's job due to the prevailing crisis (COVID-19) is merely an eyewash.”

Dubbing the central government as “disastrous” one, the Congress leader said the curbs imposed after the abrogation of Article 370 (on August 5 last) still exist and many leaders of the mainstream political parties are under detention due to which the political activity has come to standstill in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said while the economy of the country was struggling, the Modi government dedicated itself to “destroying the social and secular fabric of the society”.

“It blatantly attacked the very foundations of the Constitution and democracy and weekend the federal structure of the country,” he alleged.

Sharma said the economic structure has worsened day by day due to the “poor” economic policy and there seems to be no hope for its revival.

“Due to weak economic policies, unemployment and inflation has multiplied manifold in the country,” the former legislator said.