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Beig accuses Sheikh of surrendering Autonomy

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 10/10/2012 11:12:15 PM

SRINAGAR, Oct 10: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senior leader Muzaffar Hussain Beig today accused National Conference of surrendering the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir in lieu of power.
Addressing media persons after his party staged walkout on an issue of ‘backdoor’ appointments, Beig said that it was Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, the National Conference stalwart, who ‘surrendered’ before the central government by extending Constitution of India to Jammu and Kashmir.
“Sheikh Sahib surrendered the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir guaranteed under the Instrument of Accession in 1950, 1952 and 1975. In 1975, when Sheikh Abdullah assumed power, he surrendered all the left out autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir to the government of India,” Beig said.
Replying to Ali Mohammad Sagar’s statement that NC is not responsible for the surrender of autonomy as the party was not in power in 1965, Beig alleged that through the constitution second amendment order issued on July 23, 1975, being in power Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah put the last nail in autonomy coffin. For example, he said till 1965, J&K had a Sadr-e-Riyasat for Governor and Prime Minister in place of Chief Minister and when Sheikh Abdullah assumed power in 1975, “whether on dictates of government of India or in lust of power”, he surrendered the autonomy by extending Constitution of India to Jammu and Kashmir.
While reading out the constitution order on July 23, 1975, Beig said: “…No law made by the Legislature of the state of Jammu and Kashmir seeking to make any change in or in the effect of any provision of the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir relating to—(a) appointment, powers, functions, duties, emoluments, allowances, privileges or immunities of the Governor….shall have any effect unless such law has, after having been reserved for the consideration of the President, received his assent.”
He said before the order was issued, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly had section 147 in J&K Constitution by virtue of which it was within its rights to restore the nomenclature of Sadr-e-Reyasat (President) and Wazir-e-Azam (Prime Minister) which was changed to Governor and Chief Minister by the National Conference.
“Was it a gift of Sheikh Abdullah to his people or he had paid price for his chair, I don’t know. Now the state legislature has no power to change the present nomenclature as it needs 2/3rd majority to bring such an amendment. If PDP achieves such a majority we will definitely go for this change,” Beig said while replying to a question.
He said, yesterday, National Conference tried to mislead people on the issue of surrendering autonomy which is a breach of privilege. “We had tried many a time not to take lid off from their misdeeds but yesterday they compelled us to expose them. When we acceded to Union of India; the Parliament or central government was left with jurisdiction over Defence, Foreign Affairs, Finance and Communications, (matters specified in the Instrument of Accession). And first order which surrendered around 75 percent of our autonomy was issued at the behest of Sheikh Sahib in his period in 1952. He sold our autonomy as he was appointed as prime minister despite having no elected members in the legislative assembly. He surrendered J&K’s autonomy in 1950, 1952 and the last nail he put in the coffin of autonomy was in 1975,” Beig alleged.