Srinagar: Renowned Economist and former Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu Thursday said that there is no question of returning back to People’s Democratic Party. “I have resigned from the party and I am not going to join it back. I am not sure whether I will contest the elections or not,” he said.
He refuted the rumours that he was a BJP man in PDP. “Let those who accuse me of being a BJP man accuse. I don’t think such allegations deserve any reaction. I was assigned a role of negotiator by late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed with New Delhi when he assumed the power and I played that role competently,” Drabu told news agency CNS.
He credited Mehbooba Mufti for making PDP vibrant. “Mehbooba Mufti is known as mass leader because she worked on ground while her late father was a strategist and experienced leader. PDP was his idea,” he said.
While defending the implantation of Goods and Service Tax (GST) in Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Haseeb Drabu said that PDP failed to convey the message to the people that Jammu and Kashmir was the only state and this was the only Act that was introduced after passed by State Assembly otherwise all the Acts had been implemented in the state through Presidential Orders. “PDP failed to propagate this development. “We sent it for President’s approval only after it was passed by the Legislative Assembly.The resolution about GST was proposed only after preserving the state’s taxation powers, enshrined in the J&K Constitution. All necessary safeguards to section 5 of the J&K State Constitution have been ensured,” he said.
When asked shortly after the implementation of GST in Jammu and Kashmir, India’s Finance Minister Arun Jaitley stated that the economic integration of J&K with India is complete now; Drabu said that it is the choice of a politician to make remarks. “
While talking about the suspension of Line of Control trade (LoC trade), Drabu said the reasons given by New Delhi for this are absurd and vague. “It has been suspended for the reasons that fake currency, drugs and arms are being traded. Doesn’t black money is being seized in other parts of India. Didn’t police seize black currency in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra and other parts of India? Do we stop election process with these incidents? he questioned.
While responding to a question, Drabu said Article 35 A can’t be abrogated as the petitions against it have already been rejected twice by the Supreme Court of India. (CNS)
