Ready for J&K polls: Rajnath

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 28  

The Union Government, under fire for having imposed Governor’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir without waiting for elected parties to cobble up a coalition, announced on Friday that it was ready for Assembly elections in the state once the Election Commission of India decided on it.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, responding to a discussion on a resolution on the presidential proclamation of President’s rule in the state, said: “We are ready to talk to anyone (in Kashmir). We are committed to the democratic process.” 

The resolution was adopted by a voice vote.

The minister defended Governor Satya Pal Malik’s decision to dissolve the House. Governor’s rule was imposed on June 19 after the Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples Democratic Party-BJP coalition government in the state fell. On December 19, President’s rule was imposed. 

Leaders of various parties questioned the Governor’s decision to dissolve the Assembly instead of asking the claimants (PDP with NC and Congress support) to prove majority on the floor of the House. 

Rajnath Singh defended Malik, saying the latter had no option other than to recommend Governor’s rule. He refuted claims that the BJP was trying to prop up Sajjad Lone as CM, saying, “If someone made such a claim, it must have been in his personal capacity.” 

To this, Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge pointed out that Governor Malik was quoted as having said he was being asked to anoint Lone as CM. 

“If the BJP wanted to indulge in horse-trading to form the government, it would have done so during the six-month Governor’s rule,” the Home Minister responded, adding that none of the major parties had shown interest in forming the government when Malik’s predecessor NN Vohra met them in June.

Even as Rajnath Singh spoke, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah interjected, saying, “The PDP approached our party and we agreed to provide them support along with the Congress. But the irony was that the fax and phone of the Governor was not working.” He said the Governor’s House was not the place to prove majority, but the floor of the Assembly.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Jitendra Singh, blamed the impasse in Jammu and Kashmir on a series of “blunders" by successive governments in the state, “starting with the Nehruvian blunder”.