NEW DELHI: A member of parliament belonging to the National Conference a former ruling coalition party in the trouble torn Kashmir, Prof. Saifudin Soz, said here Friday the state has yet to receive the autonomy guaranteed by the constitution and is economically backward for lack of clear cut and developmental policy from the center.
At a discussion on crisis in Kashmir organized by Indian society, he said that civil liberties in the state have been suspended in recent months. Prof Soz alleged that Kashmir was totally, alienated.
He said that while the ruling National Front government at the center was committed to implement Sarkaria Commission recommendations on center state relations, it appointed a governor without consulting the then chief minister, Dr. Farooq Abdullah the Kashmiris resented this, he said.
Prof Soz pleaded for convening ‘a special session of parliament to resolve the Kashmir crisis and attempts should be made to secularize the entire country as communal flare up in one part would vitiate the atmosphere in the valley.
The spokesman for national front, one of the ruling party alliances, Jaipal Reddy said the immediate priority in the valley was peace and restoration of law.
Reddy charged the former Congress-I government with forging an artificial alliance with national conference which gave vent to communalism in the valley and wrecked peace in the state. He alleged the former government or aggravating the problem by following wrong policies pursued over the years by the center and the state.
The state is losing considerable revenue as the agitation and riot in the state hit the tourism industry.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 16, 1990
