ANC hails unity in Rajya Sabha polls, demands legislative action to restore J&K’s rights

Ziraat Times News Desk

SRINAGAR — The Jammu & Kashmir Awami National Conference (ANC) today threw its weight behind a growing coalition of opposition parties, hailing the unanimous stand taken by the Congress, National Conference (NC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), CPI(M), and AIP in the recent Rajya Sabha elections.

ANC Senior Vice President Muzaffar Shah described the electoral success as a “reassertion of collective politics” and a “moral necessity” required to reclaim the constitutional and democratic rights of the people of Jammu & Kashmir. Shah emphasized that this unity must be sustained and intensified to counter the effects of the constitutional and political changes imposed since August 2019.

ANC Backs Key People-Centric Bills

Shah announced the ANC’s full support for a set of crucial, people-centric legislations that he urged the J&K Legislative Assembly to pass with a “thumping majority.” He framed these bills as essential steps toward rebuilding public confidence and reversing what he called “violations committed” under the 2019 reorganization.

The three key bills prioritized by the ANC are:

1. Land Regularisation Bill: Described by Shah as “central to social equity,” this bill aims to address public grievance over land ownership and residency rights following the end of previous domicile protections.

2. Full-Power Amnesty Bill: Intended to bring relief to individuals affected by past political and security actions.

3. Waqf Bill: Designed to ensure the transparent management and oversight of religious endowments.

Shah explicitly stated that these measures are “not final destinations but steps toward restoring full Statehood and ultimately the re-operationalisation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India.”

Reflecting on the previous People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), Shah insisted that while it lost momentum due to internal rivalries, its original spirit of unity must be revived.

“No single party can reclaim the people’s trust alone or resolve issues that concern a massive population of J&K. Our strength lies in standing together for constitutional justice,” he asserted, adding that a unanimous stand from like-minded parties is necessary to “bring the Central Government down to their knees.”

Shah, who is a petitioner challenging the 2019 actions in the Supreme Court, said the revocation of special status and the bifurcation of the state had “fractured the State’s administrative and emotional core” and undermined local governance.

The ANC leader also welcomed the proposal to revive the traditional Darbar Move—the seasonal shift of the Secretariat between Srinagar and Jammu. He noted that the move holds significant symbolic and practical value in reconnecting the government with the region’s history and dual identity.

“We need not just administrative reforms but gestures that tell people the State belongs equally to all,” he remarked.

In a strong critique of the BJP-led Central Government, Shah argued that New Delhi had “lost the plot on J&K,” and stressed that “Governance imposed from above cannot replace the legitimacy of local consent.” He concluded by urging that all proposed bills must undergo full public consultation to ensure that “laws must grow from the soil of people’s experience, not be dictated by distant administrators.”