National Conference on Thursday warned the State Government against any misadventure on the issue of GST implementation in the State and said the party would fight tooth and nail to prevent the dilution of J&K’s fiscal autonomy. Addressing a meeting of the Party’s Provincial Committee for Kashmir, Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani said the Government’s state of confusion on GST was a deliberate ploy to distort the reality and implement the regime in a covert, clandestine manner.Addressing the Provincial Committee Meeting for Kashmir Province, the NC Provincial President cautioned the PDP-BJP Government from undertaking any decision that would cause harm to the State’s fiscal and political autonomy. “We met the Governor and also put our stand forward in the All Party Meeting. National Conference will not allow the implementation of the GST regime in its present form through the application of Constitutional Amendment 101 to the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Such a step would not only dilute the State’s fiscal autonomy but would also deem irrelevant the State Legislature and State Cabinet as far as the question of taxation is concerned”, the NC Provincial President said.
Addressing the Provincial Committee Meeting, Senior NC leader and North Zone President, Mohammad Akbar Lone said the State Government was dishonest in trying to peddle lies and half-truths on the GST issue in an effort to mislead the people of the State. “The PDP-BJP Government has made up its mind that it wants to dilute the State’s fiscal autonomy to please the powers that be in New Delhi. The pretense of trying to seek feedback and consensus when ads have already been issued in local papers asking businessmen to register under GST exposes the dishonesty and malice of the State Government”, Mohammad Akbar Lone said.Speaking on the occasion, Senior NC Leader and South Zone President, Sakina Ittoo said the party was united in its resolve to uphold the State’s autonomy and special status and would go to any extent to protect the rights of the people. “We will stand by the people and protest against any possible misadventure by the Mehbooba Mufti Government on this crucial issue”, Sakina Ittoo said.Addressing the Provincial Committee Meeting, Senior NC leader and Central Zone President, Ali Mohammad Dar lashed out at the PDP-BJP Government for rampant misgovernance and nepotism in the State.
“Nepotism has become the order of the day as transfers and promotions don’t happen on merit basis anymore but are defined by the proximity of officers and employees to the ruling dispensation. This has become a source of discouragement to the hard-working youth of the State and the Chief Minister should ensure that such practices are stopped immediately”, Ali Mohammad Dar added.The meeting was also addressed by Senior Party Leaders including Mir Saifullah, Shamima Firdous, Mohammad Sayed Akhoon and Provincial Secretary Advocate Showkat Ahmed Mir as well as Party Legislators, Altaf Ahmed Kaloo, Abdul Majeed Larmi, Ishfaq Jabbar, Qaiser Jamsheed Lone and Showkat Hussain Ganai as well as Party District Presidents including Javed Ahmed Dar, Peer Mohammad Afaq, Dr. Mohammad Shafi, Ghulam Mohuiddin Mir (Muran), Haji Abdul Ahad Dar and also by Zonal Secretary Ghulam Rasool Naaz. The meeting was also attended by Party Treasurer Shammi Oberoi, State Spokesperson Junaid Azim Mattu, Youth President Salman Ali Sagar, Provincial Vice President Mushtaq Ahmed Guroo, Youth Provincial Secretary Muddasir Shahmiri, Women’s Wing Provincial Secretary Sabiya Qadri, Minority Cell Head Sardar Jagdish Singh Azad, Provincial Joint Secretary Ghulam Nabi Bhat and other party leaders and office bearers. (KNS)