Jammu, 08-12-2021: Seeking immediate publication of Delimitation report besides equal number of Assembly seats for Jammu and Kashmir regions, a strong contingent of Panther activists led by Mr. Harsh Dev Singh Chairman JKNPP held a thunderous protest demonstration in Jammu today and torched the effigy of BJP govt-delimitation commission combine. The infuriated protestors raised slogans accusing the BJP govt of colluding with Delimitation commission in delaying and denying the Assembly elections in J&K to satiate its vested political interests. The NPP leaders cautioned the govt of dire consequences in case Jammu province was divested of its legitimate political rights.
Alleging subversion of democracy in J&K post Article 370 abrogation, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh said that BJP led govt appeared to be averse to the idea of holding Assembly elections in the new set up. Despite having been reported by a sect of media that the Delimitation commission had completed its draft report, why such hyped report was not put in the public domain as of now?, wondered Harsh. He rued that BJP govt seemed to be least bothered about holding time bound delimitation of Assembly constituencies in the UT created on August 5, 2019. “While the BJP regime was drum beating over the issue of delimitation and increase of seats for Jammu, the fact remained that it had failed to initiate any concrete action except constitution of Delimitation Commission which too has been dancing to the tunes of Saffron party. He said the rumours were agog that the BJP was persuading the delimitation commission to delay the process so as to deny elections in J&K and continue to run its proxy rule in the erstwhile Dogra state through its chosen ones”, said Harsh.
Asserting that political empowerment of Jammu region alone could take out the people from socio-political morass, Mr. Singh said that it’s high time the subjugated and marginalized province was accorded its legitimate share. “It’s now or never. The Delimitation exercise is based on two major factors i.e Population and Geographical Area. If we consider the population ratio of J&K excluding Ladakh as per 2011 census, Kashmir province has marginal edge of 12% over Jammu region but as far as Geographical area of J&K UT is concerned, Jammu province has 62% of the total area of J&K comprising rough and tough terrain with poor accessibility. Therefore, collating the statistical facts Jammu region deserved higher number of Assembly seats than Kashmir”, elucidated Harsh. He said that a deputation of NPP had very well apprised the Delimitation commission about the facts during its visit to J&K earlier this year. We had submitted the plea to the Commission that there should be at least parity between the Assembly seats of both the regions. Keeping this in view, out of proposed 90 Assembly seats to be reorganized, carved and recreated in the entire UT of J&K, 45 each should be allocated to both Jammu and Kashmir regions. Our plea and rationale were acknowledged and endorsed by the Delimitation commission as well. It must act and deliver now”, Harsh divulged.
Prominent among those who participated in the protest include Rajesh Padgotra, Gagan Pratap, Parshotam Parihar, Surinder Chauhan, Mohinder Singh, Yoginder Sumbria, Arun Khajuria, Ranjit Singh besides others.
