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| Justice Saghir Report: NC again walked into PDP trap | | | RUSTAM
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Mar 26: The ruling NC is committing blunder after blunder. It seems there is none in the NC and the NC-led government who could give sound advice to those at the helms so that the PDP's trap-NC strategy is defeated and government saved from avoidable criticism. It seems the NC strategists have utterly failed to take note of the PDP strategy to expose NC and tell the people of Kashmir that Omar Abdullah-led government is devoid of any agenda and that it is simply hoodwinking and misleading them by identifying itself with what the PDP has been advocating on behalf of the people of the valley, but doing nothing in practical terms.
The NC committed a big mistake when it asked Congress leader and Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla to allow one PDP legislator to introduce anti-daughters' bill in the council on 8th March. The introduction of the controversial bill, called Permanent Resident (Disqualification) Bill, created storm in Jammu province, with the Bar Association Jammu (BAJ), BJP, JKNPP, JSM and a number socio-religious organizations threatening a mass movement in case the NC-led government continues to insist on the adoption of what they call "obnoxious" and "anti-women" bill.
The opposition as registered by the BAJ, JKNPP, BJP and JSM has had its impact on the Congress, particularly the Jammu-based Congress leaders, including some ministers and legislators. Feeling cornered over the crucial issue of gender equality and convinced that their party would lose its support-base in Jammu in case the anti-women bill was adopted, a number of senior Congress leaders have already expressed their solidarity with the women's cause. They have even gone to extent of organizing a press conference on the issue. Some of those who organized it also included one JKPCC general secretary, former Deputy Speaker and MP and one top Congress Sewa Dal functionary.
Knowing it full well that the Jammu-based Congress legislators are unlikely to support the anti-daughters' bill, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been doing his best to save his face and government. He must be persuading the AICC president and UPA chairperson to ask her party legislators in Jammu and Kashmir to support the anti-daughters' bill. He must be seeking her help so that he and NC could surmount the problem the local Congress leaders have created for his government. He needs two-third majority to ensure the adoption of the bill in the legislative assembly because the proposed legislation means change in the structure of the state constitution.
It is more than evident that the BJP, the JKNPP and the JSM legislators will oppose the bill as and when it is introduced in the assembly. Their number is 15. The independent legislator from Kathua is also against the proposed legislation. And, in case the Jammu-based legislators, whose number is 15, also join hands against the anti-daughters' forces in the state, their number would be 31 in the house of 87. It is also clear that the Leh-based Congress legislators would also oppose tooth and nail the proposed legislation. That means 33 against the bill and 54 for the bill. The number 54 includes five Kashmir-based Congress/Congress supported and CPI-M legislators and a couple of Kashmir-based independent legislators.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah needs the support of at least 58 legislators to get the controversial bill passed in the assembly. If he thinks that the Jammu-based Congress ministers and legislators would ultimately come to his rescue, then it can be said that he is ignorant about their compulsions and limitations. They will not support him. They cannot afford to extend their support to the bill even if the Congress high command directs them to do so. The reasons are obvious and one of the reasons is the widespread resentment in the Jammu province against the proposed bill.
How could he expect the Jammu-based ministers and legislators to support the bill that is being opposed tooth and nail by the people of Jammu province on the ground that it is aimed at depriving the daughters of the state of their fundamental right to marry persons of their own choice outside the state, own and inherit immovable property in the state, obtain jobs under the state government and seek admission to the state-run technical and professional institutions and universities? He should not expect for the simple reason that their support to bill means their political death. (To be continued)
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