Ruhullah calls tabling of the J-K budget in Parliament a sovereign betrayal of people

SRINAGAR — The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference has raised a red flag over the recent flurry of amendments and orders approved by the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Council, saying these decisions should have been left for the elected government to decide upon, rather than being rushed through by a group of bureaucrats.

In a statement released from the party headquarters Nawa-e-Subha, the party’s Member of the Parliament from Srinagar- Central Kashmir Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi expressed concern over the timing of these decisions, especially with the impending elections to the Assembly as per Supreme Court orders.

“The manner in which the Administrative Council has hastily pushed through these decisions has left a lingering question mark. These orders, with their far-reaching consequences on our people, should have been deliberated upon by an elected government. The actions taken are not only ethically and morally wrong but also unwarranted and inappropriate,” he said.

Ruhullah emphasized that policy decisions of this magnitude should have been left to a popular government to decide upon, considering their long-term impact on the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

“A group of bureaucrats cannot replace the vital role of a vibrant legislature, where the pros and cons of such decisions are carefully weighed by elected representatives. Skipping this crucial process is a disservice to the democratic principles that should guide our governance. Having a group of bureaucrats make decisions on behalf of a culturally and topographically diverse region like ours is nothing short of an irony. The people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve better, and it is imperative that their voices are heard through a transparent and democratic process,” he said.

During the general discussion on the Budget of the J&K Union Territory for the year 2024-25, Ruhullah passionately declared that the tabling of the budget in Parliament was a sovereign betrayal of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He vehemently denounced it as a mockery of democracy, highlighting the fact that the local populace had no input in its formulation.

Ruhullah lamented that this budget flew in the face of the very ideals that had guided the State’s accession to the Union of India. “Our people are stripped of their rights to determine their own budget,” he said, adding, “This is the sorry state to which the decisions of 2019 have brought upon us.”