Statehood restoration vital to empower elected govt in IIOJK: Ali Muhammad Sagar
NC leader says bureaucratic dominance undermining democratic accountability
Srinagar: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), National Conference General Secretary and MLA from Srinagar’s Khanyar constituency Ali Muhammad Sagar has said that restoration of statehood is essential to empower the territory’s elected government, ensure administrative accountability and make the administration directly answerable to the people.
Ali Muhammad Sagar, in a statement, said the existing administrative arrangements had given the bureaucracy extensive powers, at times creating situations in which it appeared to give its own views precedence over decisions of the elected government and Assembly. He said objections and communications recently issued by senior government officials regarding the Assembly resolution seeking restoration of statehood, including references to resolutions passed by previous assemblies, were a matter of serious concern.
Ali Muhammad Sagar said the situation highlighted that statehood was not merely an administrative status but an important mechanism of democratic accountability. He said restoration of statehood would provide the elected government with a more effective constitutional and administrative framework to hold the administration accountable to the people and the elected House.
He said the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir had elected their government through their votes and, therefore, the administration should remain accountable to that democratic mandate.
The National Conference General Secretary said the elected government was currently facing excessive bureaucratic influence in administrative affairs, calling it a serious concern for the democratic system. He said a lasting solution lay in clearly defining the respective powers and restoring statehood.
Ali Muhammad Sagar also criticized the BJP for opposing the resolution seeking restoration of statehood, saying that if the party genuinely supported the demand, it should have clearly and unambiguously backed it in the Assembly. He said the BJP’s opposition to the resolution and its members’ walkout during the recent proceedings had exposed the party’s contradictory position on the issue.
