BJP welcomes Cong leader's remarks on regional councils

The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the BJP today welcomed the statement of a senior Congress leader for demanding regional councils for all the regions of the state to ensure justice and equal development.
J-K BJP spokesperson Prof Virender Gupta welcomed senior Vice President of state Congress Sham Lal Sharma for his statement, according to a statement issued by the BJP here.
Gupta asked Sharma whether he has the consent of J-K Congress president Ghulam Ahmed Mir and its senior Kashmir- based leaders like Saif-ul-Din who have been supporting the demand of greater autonomy for the state.
He also asked Sharma to elaborate the structure of the regional council and their powers.

Gupta asked the Congress both at the state and the national level to come out with a definite proposal on the issue of regional autonomy.
Sharma had called for grant of regional council to Jammu, Ladakh and Kashmir regions of the state in order to ensure justice and equal development of all the regions.

The spokesperson emphasised that merely having regional council with financial, administrative and legislative powers with the Kashmir-oriented state government would end into a futile exercise.
He elaborated that what is the need of the hour is political, administrative and financial empowerment of all the regions, particularly Jammu and Ladakh regions.

The BJP from 1990 has been supporting the demand of Regional Autonomous Councils that addresses the issue of empowerment of all the regions, Gupta added.
He said that the number of proposals have been so far mooted to provide due justice to Jammu and Ladakh regions.
"These proposals include granting of statehood to all the three regions which was initially put forth by the Jammu Mukti Morcha, Jammu State Morcha and now being supported by the National Panthers Party and other Jammu-based social and political organisations and groups," he said.