Srinagar, Jun 12 (UNI) Governor Satya Pal Malik here on Wednesday rejected reports that the Center was planning delimitation of Assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir.
“There was no confirmation from the Home Ministry about delimitation and it is a rumour,” Mr Malik said while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday.
Mr Malik further assured people of the state that there was no threat to Article 370 and Article 35-A of Constitution of India which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir. “Article 370 and Article 35 A are on the agenda of many parties and debates keep on happening on it. But people should not worry as there are no threat to these acts,” he said.
Recently, reports emerged that the Center was mulling to redraw the long pending delimitation of Assembly constituencies in J&K, erupting a political controversy with regional mainstream parties opposing the proposed.
The Governor said delimitation is a long process and cannot be done in days.
He said it’s unfortunate that the people in J&K are not told the truth. “Political parties have exploited them in the name of autonomy and azaadi (freedom). Neither autonomy nor azaadi is possible. Now, in the name of janaat (heaven), the youth are being exploited. Kashmir is a heaven, nurture it. The Islamic State ideology has been defeated even where it started,” the Governor said.
Mr Malik said that he has was no grudge against Jammu and Kashmir’s mainstream political parties. “I had repeatedly asked these local parties not to parrot separatists. I broke protocol and personally met the leaders of two regional parties to persuade them to contest local body and panchayat elections, but all that yielded no result,” he added.
The Governor said till the time people don’t understand that they can’t bend India by muscle power, things will not improve in the valley.
Mr Malik reiterated that dialogue was the only way forward to resolve the issues in the valley. “You have your own laws, your own flags… and you can seek whatever there can be given under the framework of the constitution of India,” he added.
UNI ABS PS 1655