Govt doing politics of obstinacy: Congress on amendments to Jammu & Kashmir land laws

New Delhi: The Congress accused the government on Wednesday of playing the politics of obstinacy as it opposed the amendments to Jammu and Kashmir's land laws allowing outsiders to own land in the Union Territory and termed the move as undemocratic. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the move does not follow the elementary canons of participatory democracy as no discussion was done with the stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir and the decision was enacted "by force".

"The Congress has opposed the taking away of the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir and the amendment to Jammu and Kashmir's land laws. The move does not follow the elementary canons of participatory democracy," he told reporters here.

Singhvi accused the Centre of doing the politics of obstinacy by forcing its decisions in Jammu and Kashmir.

"You are doing the politics of obstinacy, of domination, because you simply have a lieutenant governor sitting there and he has the power, so therefore, he will do it.

"What is the degree of dialogue, exchange of views, meetings of mind or attempts? The attempts are zero. I am asking this question through you to the government, please tell us the attempts, the answer will be zero," he said.

Singhvi alleged that even the minimal safeguards on the subject of land, which are found in several other states such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the northeastern states for different reasons, are not there.

"So I think this government has shown itself as a government of obstinacy, of ramming down decisions through the throat on the ground on their ego issue and not on consensual democracy," he said.