Panthers Party opposes recommendation of autonomy to J-K - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The National Panthers Party MLAs held a demonstration here on Friday against the Working Groups recommendation of granting autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir. On Wednesday, the high level committee appointed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, submitted its report to J-K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. The panel recommended consideration of autonomy by the Union Government, which has been battling insurgency for the past 20 years. Protestors insisted that working groups recommendation on autonomy to the state should not be applied, as it will end the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and the Election commission of India. Panthers party president Bhim Singh said: " The motive behind our protest is to spread this message that if this report is applied then Supreme Court's jurisdiction will end. If this report ends then election Commission of India's jurisdiction will end." The PM's group, headed by former Supreme Court judge S. Saghir Ahmad, has favoured restoring autonomy to the Himalayan state as it enjoyed till 1952, after it acceded to India in 1947. Ruling National Conference had been championing the cause of autonomy since 2000 when it moved a resolution in the state Assembly to support the demand. The Assembly adopted the resolution.