Omar Abdullah's statehood signature drive sparks Opposition heat in J&K
Peoples Democratic Party MLA and legislature party leader in J&K Assembly Waheed Parra accused Omar of 'betraying' the people of Jammu and Kashmir by reducing the fight for statehood to 'token gestures' through a signature campaign.
'Omar Abdullah owes an apology not a signature campaign for normalising 5th August. With 50 MLAs behind him, he has reduced the fight for J&K's statehood to token gestures, after seeking votes door-to-door on the promise of restoring pre–5th August status. This is not just retreat, it is betrayal,' Parra said in a post on X.
The PDP MLA claimed that the people gave Omar Abdullah a historic mandate to 'fight for Article 370 and statehood, not to stage political theatre.'
'If he has already surrendered, he must admit it and apologise to every citizen of J&K for selling promises he never intended to keep,' Parra said.
The Peoples Conference president and MLA Handwara Sajad Lone asked Omar to stop "theatrics and pass an Assembly resolution on statehood."
He warned against 'making a mockery' of the 'cause' and urged a dignified, constitutional route.
He challenged Omar to 'once and for all' explain his reluctance to have a resolution for statehood passed in the Legislative Assembly — a constitutional body elected through the Election Commission of India.
'Our resolutions are not binding on the Supreme Court, but inherent in them will be constitutional dignity. It will be a constitutional message to the highest court in the country. Political or signature campaigns have no legal or constitutional sanctity. Name one event empirically in India or anywhere in the world where signature campaigns have altered legal interpretations. They are not even admissible,' he asserted.
Recalling that 'a signature campaign for independence was carried out by Yasin Malik also — how far did that campaign go,' Lone accused Omar of showing 'disregard, disdain and contempt' for the very Assembly that gave him the CM's position.
'You derive your power, perks and Chief Ministerial position from the Assembly. Why this contempt for the very institution that has made you the CM?' he asked.
'I beg you — please stop this childish and immature attitude. We will support any campaign unconditionally. But please ensure that a resolution from the UT Assembly is also passed and sent to the Supreme Court. We are facing a battle of a lifetime. A door-to-door signature campaign is nothing but theatrics. Tell me, is the Supreme Court answerable to majoritarian assertions or to law? Majoritarianism is something politicians practise. Supreme Court practises law,' Lone cautioned.
National Conference president and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah said the signature campaign for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood will be run vigorously.
'The campaign will be run vigorously,' Farooq told reporters in Srinagar after attending the Independence Day function.
UNI MJR PRS
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
United News of India
40 minutes ago
- United News of India
Modi's visionary plan to open up space sector a true game changer : ISpA
Chennai, Aug 15 (UNI) The Indian Space Association (ISpA) today hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioning the growth in India's space sector in his Independence Day address and said his visionary plan to open up India's space sector has been a true gamechanger. Backed by progressive reforms such as the Space Policy, liberal FDI push and strong government support, the industry has grown multi-fold in just five years, ISpA Director General Lt Gen AK Bhatt (retd) said. "The surge in space startups and their achievements reflects an unprecedented wave of innovation and ambition among our youth", he said. "With this momentum, we are confident of achieving the goal of USD 44 billion space economy by 2033 and cementing India's position among the world's leading spacefaring nations. This is not just growth, it's a national movement inspiring every Indian to aim higher and reach for the stars', he added. UNI GV 1340
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Interacting with judicial candidates helpful: CJI
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai on Friday described the collegium's recent practice of personally interacting with candidates being considered for high court appointments as 'really helpful,' saying that even a brief 10-15 minute conversation can reveal how suitable a nominee would be in contributing to society. Chief Justice of India Bhushan Gavai visited his alma mater, Chikitsak Samuh's school in Girgaon, in Mumbai, on July 6. (Ayushman Poyrekar/HT Photo) Speaking at the Supreme Court complex during Independence Day celebrations, the CJI underlined that the exercise, revived in December 2024 and now firmly embedded in the appointments process, has strengthened the collegium's ability to assess candidates' temperament, outlook and commitment beyond what can be gleaned from service records or paper credentials. 'In our opinion, after interaction with them for 10-15 minutes, or half an hour, we can find out as to how suitable they will be to contribute to society,' he said, noting that the practice was initiated during Justice Sanjiv Khanna's tenure as CJI and has been continued under his leadership. The latest round in July saw the collegium, comprising CJI Gavai and justices Surya Kant and Vikram Nath, meet more than 50 judicial officers and lawyers over just two days, setting a record for the highest number of face-to-face interactions in one go for high court appointments. Candidates were considered for the high courts of Madhya Pradesh, Punjab & Haryana, Patna, Rajasthan and others. According to people familiar with the process, the trio, who include the next two CJIs in line, asked wide-ranging questions on constitutional values, pressing legal issues, ethics and institutional responsibility. This model, the CJI on Friday said, reflected the collegium's awareness of the need to evolve and adopt all measures required to enhance the efficiency and transparency of the judges' selection mechanism. Responding to Supreme Court Bar Association president Vikas Singh's call for a body to collate names of potential appointees to the constitutional courts, the CJI stressed that several lawyers practising in the apex court had in recent years been appointed to various high courts and that more such recommendations were in the pipeline. While the Supreme Court collegium could suggest names to high court collegiums, the first call, he emphasised, lay with the latter. 'The Supreme Court is not a superior court to the high court. Both are constitutional courts… Therefore, the first call has to be taken by the high court collegium. We only recommend the names… and only after their satisfaction do the names come to the Supreme Court,' he said. The revival of in-person interactions last December followed a controversy over judicial conduct involving Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court, whose communal remarks at a public event earlier that month drew widespread criticism. At the time, the collegium, then led by Justice Khanna and including justices Gavai and Kant, saw such interviews as a way to ensure a more holistic understanding of a candidate's suitability. Union minister for law and justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, attorney general R Venkataramani, SCBA vice-president and senior advocate Rahul Kaushik and SCBA secretary Pragya Baghel were also present at the event. In the second half of his speech, CJI Gavai turned to the role of the judiciary in protecting constitutional ideals. He called on judges to interpret laws in ways that 'expand freedom, protect the rights of the marginalized, and strengthen the rule of law,' and urged both judges and lawyers to carry forward the legacy of the freedom struggle's legal luminaries, who 'argued fearlessly, challenged injustice, and defended the rights of the vulnerable.' He invoked a vision of India where 'no child is denied education because of her caste or poverty,' no woman 'walks in fear, by day or by night,' and 'no citizen is too small to be heard.' Judges, he stressed, bore the solemn duty not just to apply the law but to 'actively uphold and embody' liberty, equality, and fraternity. 'Our history teaches us that the struggle for freedom was not only a political movement but also a moral and legal endeavour…This legacy must guide the lawyers of today,' said the CJI, urging legal professionals to recognise that even seemingly minor disputes may carry deep implications for life, dignity or survival. Ends
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
RSS' contribution to nation marks 'proud & golden chapter': PM Modi
PM Narendra Modi NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday used the pulpit of Red Fort to lavish praise on RSS, saying that the Sangh's contribution to the nation marks a "proud and golden chapter". Speaking about the contributions of individuals and organisations to nation-building in his Independence Day address, he said: "Today, with great pride, I wish to mention one such institution. One hundred years ago, RSS was founded. These 100 years of service to the nation constitute a proud and golden chapter. With the resolve of nation-building through character-building, with the aim of serving Maa Bharati, the swayamsevaks have, for a century, dedicated their lives to the welfare of the motherland. " The remarks of the PM, himself a swayamsevak, eulogising the Sangh when it is seen as enjoying unprecedented influence, can only add zing to its ongoing centenary celebrations. PM also praised Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, the founder of Bhartiya Jan Sangh, as BJP was known in its original incarnation, who died in jail after being imprisoned for campaigning against Special Status for J&K. "The removal of the wall of Article 370 and the realisation of the mantra of 'One Nation, One Constitution' have been our true tribute to him," said Modi. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like She Mixed Pink Salt With This - Now She Can't Stop Losing Weight Break The Weight Learn More Undo Although Sangh was invited to be a part of the Republic Day parade in 1963, this was, perhaps, the first instance of praise for the organisation which has defied bans, controversies and intense opposition from influential political and academic quarters to become one of the country's major influences and a challenge to the Nehruvian/ "liberal" version of nationalism and secularism. Interestingly, the high praise comes amid persisting speculation about a strain in Sangh's equations with BJP. Modi went the full distance in expressing his veneration for the organisation. "Today, from the ramparts of Red Fort, I salute all the swayamsevaks who have contributed to this century-long journey of national service, and the nation takes pride in the grand and dedicated journey of RSS, which will continue to inspire us," he said.
