National Conference on Thursday slammed PDP for sabotaging the Land Transfer Bill in the Legislative Assembly by supporting the move of its ally BJP to transfer the bill - aimed at preventing transfer of land to non-state subjects - to a Select Committee. “This is a brazen murder of democracy, ironically and tragically on the same day when Mehbooba Mufti took oath as a member of the legislative assembly. The Bill was sent to the select committee despite the fact that BJP members were part of the cabinet decision on the twenty third of June to introduce the Bill in the House. This defies sanity and precedent and questions the very existence and writ of the Chief Minister”, NC Spokesperson Junaid Mattu said in a statement issued to KNS.The NC Spokesperson said PDP’s sellout was exposed in the Legislative Assembly today when PDP’s own members rose in open revolt against their party. “Even some members of the ruling party were shocked at how a Bill passed through the Cabinet to be tabled in the Assembly could be sabotaged in this manner. National Conference had announced that it would support the Bill and all such measures that are aimed at safeguarding J&K’s special status. Unfortunately it is now pretty evident that for Mehbooba Mufti J&K’s special status is negotiable and she can quite easily barter in lieu of BJP’s continued patronage and benevolence”, the NC Spokesperson added.The NC Spokesperson said the transfer of the Bill to the Select Committee was a matter of shame for the Chief Minister as this Bill was approved to be tabled in the Assembly by the Cabinet. “
While this Bill has been killed at BJP’s insistence, the plan to kill the bill was drafted personally by the Chief Minister and her Law Minister. PDP has obliged BJP in sabotaging the Bill without any consideration for the absolutely damaging message this would send out. This emboldens those voices that have sought the erosion of the State Subject Laws and the abrogation of Article 370 and this could very well be the first covert step by the PDP-BJP Alliance to erode the State’s special status. This entire covert plan is being enacted under the direct supervision of the Chief Minister. Nothing could be more tragic”, the NC Spokesperson further added.“In moving the motion to send the Bill to the Select Committee, Law Minister and PDP Leader Basharat Bukhari has put on record PDP’s role in aiding BJP’s anti-J&K agenda and history will bear a witness to this act of treachery. Those members of PDP who rose in revolt against their own party at this shocking sellout should realize that their party is now at open loggerheads against the people of this State and their legal and political interests. PDP’s continued investment in the politics of betrayal and U-turns is a matter of grave concern and the Chief Minister should know that her deeds will have proportionate and serious consequences”, the NC Spokesperson said. (KNS)