Kashmir Heading Towards One Party System, Says NPP, Demands President's Intervention

The National Panthers Party (NPP) on Sunday accused the BJP of weakening the democratic institutions in Jammu and Kashmir and sought President Ram Nath Kovind's intervention to uphold the “constitutional guarantees” of the state. Ahead of the October 24 Block Development Councils (BDC), the NPP accused the BJP of not giving reasonable space to Opposition parties.

"There is widespread feeling in J&K that the state is heading towards one party system with the ruling BJP denying reasonable political space to the opposition parties. Democracy in the state is on a ventilator desperately gasping for breath," the NPP said in a petition submitted by its chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh to the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

"Not only are the political parties scared of the dictatorial regime but the people in general are invariably reluctant to ventilate their feelings for fear of reprisals," it stated.

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The local political outfit said that Kashmir has been a victim of wicked politicking over the last seven decades and alleged that set protocols were defyed while taking several decisions, which were prerogative of an elected legislature.

"The elections to legislative Assembly continue to be postponed so as to suit the political expediencies of the ruling party at the centre. And while the BDC elections under Panchayati Raj system have been announced, the opposition leaders were hardly taken into confidence with majority of them still kept under preventive detentions," it said.

"The internet mobiles services have been banned in Jammu region as well despite it being peaceful. And none dare raise his voice against the undemocratic and totalitarian moves of the government lest he shall be dubbed as anti-national or even put behind bars," the NPP said.