Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Feb 21: Leader of Opposition (LoP) and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sunil Sharma on Saturday accused the ruling National Conference (NC) of deceitful politics and misleading the people of Jammu and Kashmir on Article 370, autonomy and “special status”.
He further accused the NC of betraying unemployed youth by allegedly outsourcing 24,000 government jobs to a private company without a transparent recruitment process.
Addressing party workers and new entrants during the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Mega Joining Programme at SKICC, Srinagar, LoP Sharma said the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir is changing. He claimed that the real character of the NC has now been “exposed” before the people.
Sharma, began by thanking BJP workers, particularly those who continued to work in Kashmir during challenging times.
Making employment the central focus of his speech, he said the NC had promised to provide one lakh jobs within 180 days of forming the government, but has failed to deliver. “Time has passed. Where are those one lakh jobs?” he asked.
The BJP leader alleged that instead of initiating transparent recruitment drives, the government has outsourced around 24,000 posts.
“These 24,000 posts were handed over to a private company without open advertisements, written examinations or interviews,” he claimed. “Parents work hard and educate their children with the hope that they will secure government jobs. Youth prepare for exams and wait for advertisements. But these posts were allegedly outsourced without giving deserving candidates an opportunity.”
Sharma described the move as an injustice to unemployed youth and demanded full disclosure.
“The government must make public the name of the company involved, its credentials, whether it has been blacklisted anywhere and what recruitment mechanism it has adopted. What is the credibility of the company? What is the recruitment process? Why were these posts not advertised publicly?” he asked.
Calling it a “betrayal of 24,000 youth”, Sharma warned that BJP workers would not remain silent if the decision is not reversed. “We will fight for unemployed youth both inside and outside the Assembly. If needed, BJP workers will take to the streets and launch an agitation,” he said, asserting that the issue would be pursued politically and legally.
Recalling earlier years, he said there was a time when organising political programmes in Srinagar was marked by fear and uncertainty, but the present gathering reflected a shift in public confidence and political mood.
He said BJP workers in Kashmir have stood firm despite pressure and threats, and asserted that the increasing participation in party programmes indicates a growing acceptance of the BJP’s agenda.
Referring to the 2024 Assembly elections, Sharma alleged that the NC sought votes in the name of restoring Article 370.
“Article 370 is history. It has been buried and will not return,” he said, adding that the Chief Minister himself has publicly stated that nothing can be expected from the BJP regarding its restoration.
He accused the NC of knowingly raising the issue during elections to mobilise votes despite being aware of the constitutional position.
The LoP also took strong exception to the repeated use of the term “special status” by NC leaders. The term, as projected politically, does not exist in the Constitution of India with respect to Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
“I have openly challenged them in the Assembly to show where ‘special status’ is mentioned in the Constitution in the manner they claim. If they prove it, I am ready to face any consequence,” he said.
The “vague terminology” is being used to create confusion among people after the abrogation of Article 370, he added.
Sharma further alleged that while NC leaders publicly criticise the BJP and RSS in Jammu and Kashmir, they have historically aligned with the BJP for political power at the Centre.
He referred to past political arrangements and participation in central governments and urged people to examine what he described as contradictions in the party’s political stand.
The BJP leader also revisited past promises related to autonomy resolutions and large financial packages, alleging that such commitments were used as electoral tools but not effectively implemented.
The LoP further criticised the government over its promise of providing 200 units of free electricity, alleging that it was attempting to attribute benefits to central schemes rather than fulfilling its own commitment made during elections. He said promises made to the public must be implemented transparently and not rebranded.
Urging party workers to intensify outreach at the grassroots level, Sharma said the BJP would continue to raise issues of governance, employment and transparency in the Assembly and among the public.
He asserted that the party would expose what he termed as misinformation and hold the government accountable for its commitments. (KNO)
