Decision to dissolve JK assembly 'unconstitutional', murder of democracy: Congress

The Congress on Thursday accused the Modi government of pushing Jammu and Kashmir into a cycle of violence, "bereft of democratic institutions", and slammed the decision of the Governor to dissolve the state assembly as "unconstitutional and unethical".

The opposition party also demanded early elections in the state to set in motion the democratic process so that the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions get a people's government.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram took a swipe at Governor Satyapal Malik over the decision to dissolve the J-K Assembly, saying that parliamentary democracy was standing on its head and the "Gujarat model" has appealed to him more than the "Westminster model" that India follows.

"As long as no one staked a claim to form government, J-K governor was happy to keep Assembly under suspension. The moment someone staked a claim, he dissolved the Assembly. Parliamentary democracy standing on its head," he tweeted.

"The Westminster model of democracy is outdated. Like in all other matters, it is the Gujarat model that has appealed to the J&K governor," Chidambaram added.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged the decision to impose Governor's rule is nothing short of the BJP "ruling forcibly" through proxy in the state while party leader Manish Tewari termed it as "unconstitutional, immoral and unethical".

Tewari said that after the PDP, the NC and the Congress staked claim to form government, the governor's decision to dissolve the assembly without giving them a chance to form government and prove a majority "is murder of democracy and must be challenged in court".

"Dissolution of assembly in this manner is unconstitutional, immoral and unethical. A dangerous harbinger of things to come. Thank God founding fathers were wise enough not to provide for president's rule at Centre? Shudder to think what could have happened when BJP loses 2019," he tweeted.

Surjewala tweeted: "Modi Government has pushed Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh into an unending cycle of violence bereft of democratic institutions."
Responding to the Governor's statement, he asked, "Is the Governor of J&K Satyapal Malik speaking as a representative of BJP, Spokesperson of BJP or as a protector and defender of the Constitution of India in Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh, which is his primary responsibility."