NEW DELHI : The Congress on Saturday hit out at the Centre after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) amended the rules of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 expanding the powers of the L-G.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that Modi government’s move is to delay the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, even though the Supreme Court has mandated assembly elections by September.
“The Modi government’s betrayal of Jammu and Kashmir continues unabated! The insertion of new sections giving more powers to the L-G by amending the Rules under Section 55 of the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 means the
Modi government wants to delay the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
He said that even if full statehood is restored, the Centre wants to keep the newly elected state government at the mercy of the L-G, by clamping its executive power.
The amendments shall come into force on July 12, the date of the publication in the Official Gazette, a move in anticipation of the speculated assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir
Congress leader Pawan Khera said that the Centre is following the Delhi model to curtail the powers of an elected government. “The government has not been able to solve the ongoing law and problem in Jammu and Kashmir. What has it to do with the L-G getting powers to transfer and post officers? The L-G is doing it anyway. They don’t trust the government which will assume power after the election whenever it happens,” he said.
Khera added that the Centre has already passed a no confidence motion against a state government, which is yet to be elected.