Kashmir Guv under Opposition attack

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik was on Thursday at the centre of a stringent Opposition attack for dissolving the Assembly reasoning that parties with opposing ideologies cannot form a government as it leads to instability.

Some of the parties demanded his sacking while questioning the functioning of the Raj Bhavan in a "strategic and sensitive" state where even the fax machine was "not functioning".

In a press communique, the Raj Bhavan on Wednesday night had said that the "impossibility of forming a stable government by the coming together of political parties with opposing political ideologies including some which have been demanding the dissolution of the Assembly" as one of the reasons for his decision. It had said, "the coming together of such parties in a grouping is nothing but an attempt to gain power rather than to form a responsive government."

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti's claim that her attempts to sent her letter to the Governor through fax did not fructify as the fax machine in the Raj Bhavan was apparently not working.

The statement invited immediate reaction from the Opposition ranks with senior RJD MP Manoj K Jha tweeting, "Sir! What was PDP-BJP alliance then? Different reasons for different seasons is the hallmark of the regime?"

"Theft and if needed the robbery of the mandate in active collaboration with the 'Custodian of the Constitution' is the flavour under this regime. The partner till the other day is referred to as terror-friendly. Nauseating!! Goa, Bihar and now Jammu and Kashmir," he said in another tweet.

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury described the reasoning as "undemocratic" and that the Governor should have explored all options.

CPI National Secretary D Raja demanded the immediate Malik's sacking, saying the Raj Bhavan "even do not have a functional" fax machine. "This is the way you run the most crucial state in the country?" he asked.

He said the Governor's action was "undemocratic and totally unacceptable". "The BJP-led Centre had the ulterior motive to split other parties and capture power in Kashmir. This did not happen as other parties got together," he said.

On the Governor's reasoning, he echoed Jha and accused the Governor of acting like an agent of the Centre.