Our Correspondent / New Delhi
The Union government today said that it has no objection to holding elections to Jammu and Kashmir Assembly along with General Elections in the country this year.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said it is up to the Election Commission to take a call in this regard.
He was replying to a brief discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the Statutory Resolution seeking approval for the Presidential Proclamation under which Central Rule was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir.
Mr Singh said the Centre is ready to provide all security for the smooth conduct the polls in the State.
The Home Minister said that the Centre is open to suggestions from political parties for improving the situation in the State. He told the House that President’s Rule in the state was necessitated as no political party was in a position to form a government after the BJP – PDP coalition broke up.
The Home Minister enumerated steps taken by the Centre for the development of the State. He said the NDA government has made the highest ever fund allocation to the state during the last four-and-a-half years of its rule.
He said the successful conduct of Panchayat elections in the state was beyond the expectations of the government. Mr Singh said the Centre is sincere in its efforts to bring peace and normalcy in the state. He told the House that the Centre was ready for an unconditional dialogue but there was no response from the separatists.
Making an intervention in the discussion, Leader of the Rajya Sabha and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asked Congress and other opposition parties to help in the development of Jammu and Kashmir, rising above political differences.
He said the blame game on the problems facing the State should come to an end. Mr Jaitley accused the Congress of playing havoc with democracy in the State in the past.
He said the party was responsible for dislodging the democratically elected governments in the state while it was in power at the Centre.
Earlier, initiating the discussion, Leader of Opposition in the House, Ghulam Nabi Azad held the Centre responsible for political instability, increase in militancy, loss of security forces and unrest in the State, especially the Kashmir Valley.
Mr Azad blamed the government for dissolution of the State assembly to prevent Congress, PDP and National Conference from forming the government.
He said the three parties wanted to form the government as the Governor’s rule was not helping the common people. Later, the House adopted the Statutory Resolution by voice vote.