JKNPP submits memo to Sinha

Jammu, Jan 7: The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) today submitted a memorandum of demands to Governor Lt Gen S K Sinha on the first day of budget session of the state assembly here.

The JKNPP MLAs, led by party chairman Prof Bhim Singh, met the Governor after his opening address and presented a copy of the memorandum in which the party has appealed to the Governor to dismiss the present Jammu and Kashmir government and ensure coming assembly elections under Governor's rule by appointing independent observers from the Chief Election Commission and also sought his intervention in implementing the Delimitation Commission.

Shouting, anti-government slogans and expressing disappointment over the coalition government, the Panther Party MLAs, staged a boycott in between the Governor"s address.

The JKNPP alleged that government did not allow them to table the memorandum and as the government did not want to get 'exposed".

As per the memorandum of demands, the JKNPP sought special status to the Pahari ethnic group residing along the LOC, who are denied their fundamental rights.

The 'Dogras" of Jammu region have not been issued Dogra certificate by the government, which does not involve any financial implications either.

The JKNPP also alleged that the government departments have totally collapsed with no progress visible on the ground while gross violation of Human Rights in the state, was observed for which the coalition government is directly responsible. Pakistan occupied Refugees (PoK), who are recorded as migrants even after 60 years of their exodus, are deprived of their rights, the memorandum said.

The memorandum also highlighted that women and minority communities including Sikhs and Kashmiri Pandits have been deliberately kept out of the Council of Ministers while the state government is paying no heed to the long pending demands of hundreds of unemployed youths, who are on hunger strike for over 300 days.

UNI