Jammu, Mar 2: On the eve of the first budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in seven years, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah presided over a meeting of coalition parties to discuss ensuring the smooth operation of the house.
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The meeting was attended by Congress legislative party leader G A Mir and CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami, occurring shortly after Abdullah led a separate meeting of the National Conference’s legislature party at his official residence. The Congress legislature party gathered beforehand at their headquarters on Residency Road before Mir participated in Abdullah’s meeting.
“Traditionally, both ruling and opposition parties hold their legislature party meetings before the assembly session to address key issues to bring up in the house,” Mir stated after the meeting at the party headquarters.
The Congress leader expressed his intentions to partake in the coalition’s joint legislature party meeting.
“Merely four-and-a-half months have transpired since the NC-led government took office, yet various individuals question the government’s actions and inactions. They must recall that when the government was formed on October 16, the budget had already been established, which posed a significant obstacle,” he elaborated.
Mir expressed his hope that the budget presented by the government will tackle pressing public concerns and serve as a foundation for implementing the manifesto during the fiscal year 2025-26.
He pointed out that the government had already passed a resolution for the restoration of statehood in the last session held in Srinagar, indicating that the delay originates from the BJP-led central government, which has repeatedly made promises to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“During the All Party Meeting led by the Prime Minister with J&K leaders in June 2021, we all witnessed his commitment that reorganization would be followed by delimitation, elections, and then the restoration of statehood. The center should have honored its promise following the formation of the popular government in J&K, yet the delay is on their end,” he mentioned.
Mir emphasized that the Congress has continually advocated for the restoration of statehood, which was a central issue during last year’s assembly elections, stating, “The INDIA alliance is dedicated to it. As the largest party in the INDIA bloc, Congress has already conveyed this in their working committee meetings and during their election campaigns.” When asked about the PDP’s plans to introduce bills aimed at prohibiting alcohol and regularizing property rights for residents on public land, he remarked that it is ultimately up to the house to deliberate on such proposals.
“It raises a question that when they governed alongside the BJP, why didn’t they propose such bills? The government is primarily focused on the issues presented in its election manifesto, which the people supported,” he concluded. (Agencies)
