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Autonomy
recommendations fuel political debate in Kashmir
Sunday March 20, 2011 02:18:08 PM,
IANS
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Jammu: The reported
recommendation to restore some autonomous powers to Jammu and
Kashmir has fuelled a predictable political debate, with opponents
suggesting it would create more confusion than solve problems in the
troubled state.
According to reports, the government appointed interlocutors -
Dileep Padgaonkar, Radha Kumar and M.M. Ansari - in their yet-to-be
submitted interim report on a political settlement of Kashmir have
suggested restoration of autonomy, a special status enjoyed by the
state till 1953, under Article 370 of the constitution.
They have also recommended a debate on issues like erosion of the
special status, changing the nomenclature of heads of government and
state - wazir-e-azam and sadr-e-riyasat, the process of nominating a
governor and on provisions of Article 356 that empowers the central
government to disqualify state governments.
But the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - a known opponent
of Article 370 - has termed the recommendations as "regressive".
"This is a regressive step. The interlocutors have destroyed their
credibility, if they had any, by suggesting autonomy. How can the
needles of a clock be reversed? It's unimaginable," said the BJP's
Chaman Lal Gupta.
"Any such recommendations would cause more friction and confusion in
the state, rather than starting any reconciliation (to solve the
problems)," Gupta told IANS.
The BJP's view is supported by the National Panthers Party of Bhim
Singh.
Singh staged a sit-in in Jammu Friday against any move to restore
autonomy to the state.
But the ruling National Conference - the biggest advocate of
autonomy - says more powers would "restore the distinctive dignity"
of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
"We want autonomy for our people because this describes our dignity
and symbolises our special position within the country," National
Conference legislator Shamima Firdous said.
In 2000, the National Conference passed a resolution in the state
assembly for restoration of autonomy and sent it to the central
government. But the resolution was trashed by the then BJP-led
governmnt.
Separatist leaders have always been rejecting any solution to the
Kashmir issue within the framework of the constitution.
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