Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) have criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for leaving the territory without an elected government for the last five years. Environmental minister and National Conference (NC) Vice President Omar Abdullah remarked, Democracy ends where J&K begins. He taunted the central government, highlighting the contrast between India’s self-proclaimed democratic values and the lack of elections in the region. The last time Jammu & Kashmir had elected officials was in 2014, and the state’s political parties, including the BJP, are calling for early elections.
Commenting on the current situation, the NC spokesperson Imran Dar accused the central government of imposing the second-longest period of President’s Rule on J&K since the 1990s. Dar argued that if the government believes that the situation is normal in J&K, it should call for the return of power to the people of the province.
The Peoples Democratic Party Spokesman Mohit Bhan expressed outrage at the lack of democracy, adding that the nation and its leaders should be ashamed. Bhan said, The entire nation and its leadership must hang their heads in shame for calling itself ‘Mother of Democracy.’ He added that the central rule, which has now been enforced for the past five years, shows a disregard for the rights and representation of the people.
The situation in Jammu and Kashmir has been steadily deteriorating since 2019 when the government revoked the region’s special status, stripped it of statehood, and split it into two federally-administered territories: J&K and Ladakh. The people of J&K have been clamoring for elections, but the central government has yet to respond. The current situation in the territory is causing political resentment, raising concerns about the central government’s commitment to democracy.
