Says Governor’s rule must be imposed
Our Correspondent / New Delhi
IN A MAJOR POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT, Bharatiya Janata Party BJP, today pulled out of alliance with the People’s Democratic Party in Jammu-Kashmir. This comes on the day the BJP ministers reached Delhi to meet party president Amit Shah.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti hands in her resignation minutes after the BJP pulled out of the state government.
They were summoned a day after the Centre announced it would not extend the Ramzan ceasefire in the Valley.
Addressing a press conference, the party’s J&K in-charge Ram Madhav said it has become untenable for the BJP to continue in this government. “After taking stock of the situation in the state, the central government and central party is of the view that we should leave the government,” he said.
On the issue of Ramzan ceasefire, Madhav said it was not reciprocated by terrorists or militants. “Keeping national interest in mind and that Kashmir is an integral part of India, we have to say it is time that the reins of power in the state be handed over to the governor,” he said.
Sources in the party said the meeting was convened following differences between the ruling PDP and BJP over the issue of the ceasefire. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti wanted the ceasefire to be extended, while the Centre decided against it in light of the Amarnath Yatra.
RAM MADHAV SAID that there is no question of suspending operations after Bukhari killing. After the killing of Shujaat Bukhari in broad daylight in Srinagar, there was no question of suspending anti-terror operations…. The state must be put under Governor’s rule. Once situation is restored to normalcy, then we can take the political process forward said Madhav.
“We had to respect the mandate of the people. If we would not have formed govt at that time, Governor’s rule or Presidential rule would have been imposed in the Valley. We had an alliance with them just for the mandate that was given by people,” he said.
“Keeping in mind larger interest of India’s security and integrity, fact is that J&K is an integral part of India, in order to bring control over the situation prevailing in the state we have decided that the reigns of power in the state be handed over to the Governor.”
He said the Centre did everything for the Valley. “We’ve tried to put a full-stop to the ceasefire violations by Pakistan. PDP has not been successful in fulfilling its promises. Our leaders have been facing a lot of difficulties from PDP in developmental works in Jammu & Ladakh,” he claimed.
“Even if Governor rule is imposed in the Jammu & Kashmir, our efforts to fight terrorism will continue,” he said.
PDP and the BJP had formed the alliance in 2015 after they emerged as the biggest parties with 28 and 25 seats respectively. Governor’s rule is now likely to be imposed on the state.