ibn sultan
Srinagar, March 25: MLA Handwara and Peoples Conference President Sajad Lone walked out of the J&K Assembly today in protest against a bill amending Section 2 of the Goods and Services Tax Act.
The bill sought to replace “J&K State” with “J&K UT,” a move he said amounted to endorsing Jammu and Kashmirโs Union Territory status.
“I want to make it clear that the passage of the bill is tantamount to endorsement of the UT status of J&K. I tried to protest, but given the massive mandate that the people of J&K have given to NC, my voice was drowned out. And I walked out,” Lone stated.
He questioned why the Assembly was being consulted now when it was not asked before the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A or the downgrading of J&K to a UT.
“Did they ask the Assembly when Article 370 was abrogated? When Article 35A was abrogated? When the state of J&K was relegated to a UT?” he asked.
Lone criticized the lack of a strong response from the Assembly, pointing out that pre-election narratives revolved around reversing the events of August 5, 2019.
“The idea was that the Assembly will unambiguously pass resolutions rejecting all the actions of August 5. The reality as it stares in our faces is that till date we have not passed anything which is clear, concise, and unambiguous.”
While acknowledging that the Assembly may not have the power to undo those changes, he stressed the importance of its voice reflecting the will of the people.
“The power of the Assembly to make laws or undo events of August 5, 2019, is not what matters. What is far more important is what is the voice of the people that emanates from the Assembly. We have not been barred from voicing our opinion. And the voices that are emanating do not do justice to the sentiments of the people of J&K.”
Lone highlighted the stark contrast between pre-election narratives and current political actions. “The whole pre-election narrative was around undoing the catastrophic events of 5 August 2019,” he noted.
Despite expectations of unambiguous resolutions rejecting the August 2019 actions, the assembly has yet to produce a clear, concise statement.
Acknowledging the numerical political realityโwith the National Conference holding a massive mandateโLone’s walkout symbolizes a persistent resistance.
“I tried to protest, but given the massive mandate that the people of J and K have given to NC, my voice was drowned out,” he explained.
Crucially, Lone stressed that while the assembly has not been barred from voicing its opinion, the current voices do not adequately represent the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.(Agencies)
