Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party

Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party
Leader Bhim Singh
Founded 23 March 1982
Headquarters 17 VP House, Rafi Marg, New Delhi-110001
ECI Status State Party[1]
Election symbol
Website
http://nationalpanthersparty.com
Politics of India
Political parties
Elections

The Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party is a state political party in Jammu and Kashmir, India. The party was founded on 23 March 1982 by Prof. Bhim Singh and a few prominent youth political personalities of the time including Jay Mala,[2] former President of the Indian Students Congress.[3] Its aim is to "demolish corruption, communalism, criminalization, drug menace" and to establish a real democracy through ultimate revolution.[4][5]

In 1996 the party was notable in moving the Supreme Court and the Election Commission to return the democratic process to militancy-torn Jammu and Kashmir.[2][6][7]

The party formed part of the coalition government of Jammu & Kashmir along with the Congress and PDP after the 2002 Jammu & Kashmir elections, with senior party member Harsh Dev Singh serving as education minister in the cabinet.[8]

The party is a strong proponent of secular values in Jammu & Kashmir and across the region.[9]

Prof. Bhim Singh is the party's Chief Patron, while his nephews Harsh Dev Singh is Chairman and Balwant Singh is the party's state President.[10][11]

History

Founding

The party was founded by Prof. Bhim Singh in 1982 as a split from the Congress Party of India. At the time Bhim Singh was already siting as a member of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly with the Congress Party. Bhim Singh found difference with the Congress Party's then allegiance with the National Conference political party of Sheikh Abdullah the first Prime Minister of Jammu & Kashmir. In particular the Panther's Party was founded in reaction to Sheikh Abdullah's the Resettlement Act.[12]

The manifesto of the party focuses on secular, nationalist and democratic principles while seeking to respect the diversity of cultures and religions in the state including Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir.

On its formation in 1983 the JKNPP contested all 50 seats in Jammu & Kashmir, however it only won the one seat of Prof. Bhim Singh. This however was still thought to be a positive achievement for the party as the newly formed Panther's political party and Prof. Bhim Singh had faced stiff opposition from the powerful Congress Party and the ruling Nehru-Gandhi dynasty of India in his constituency of Chenani.[12]

A month after its formation in April 1982 the name of the party was questioned in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly by its then Chief Minister, Sheikh Abdullah who had asked "Bhim Singh you were all right as a human being. Why you chose to be an animal?" Prof. Bhim Singh had then responded that "the people of State were terrorized by a big animal, known as Sher-e-Kashmir (Lion of Kashmir was Abdullah's nickname). They needed safety and protection from that lion. It was necessary to become an animal (Panther) to resist the lion."[12]

References

  1. ↑ "List of Political Parties and Election Symbols main Notification Dated 18.01.2013" (PDF). India: Election Commission of India. 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) – Party History, Symbol, Founders, Election Results and News". www.elections.in. Retrieved 2015-09-26. It was the Bhim Singh-led JKNPP which moved the Supreme Court to hold elections in the militancy-torn Jammu and Kashmir in the historic year 1996. The Chief Election Commission of India was persuaded to conduct elections in the state, only due to the efforts of JKNPP.
  3. ↑ "Bhim greets Atal Bihari on his 84th birthday - Scoop News Jammu Kashmir". www.scoopnews.in. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  4. ↑ "History". JK Panthers Party. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  5. ↑ http://www.thehindu.com/news/sc-upholds-freeze-on-delimitation-in-jk-till-2026/article876533.ece
  6. ↑ "Bhim Singh, President J&K ... vs Election Commissioner Of India ... on 4 April, 1996". indiankanoon.org. Retrieved 2015-10-18.
  7. ↑ "Sheila Dikshit releases Bhim Singh’s book". The Hindu. 2010-04-10. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2015-10-18.
  8. ↑ Service, Tribune News. "Panthers Party feeling heat as BJP goes all out in Udhampur". http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jammu-kashmir/politics/panthers-party-feeling-heat-as-bjp-goes-all-out-in-udhampur/13498.html. Retrieved 2015-09-26. External link in |website= (help)
  9. ↑ "Headlines Today". Panther party MLAs disrupt house in Jammu and Kashmir assembly. August 28, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2015 – via youtube.com.
  10. ↑ "Young Bites : Daily | Leading News Paper of Jammu Kashmir". youngbites.in. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  11. ↑ "Outlook India News : Bhim Singh's JKNPP splits, former ministers to form new party". www.outlookindia.com. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  12. 1 2 3 "South Asia Mail". www.southasiamail.com. Retrieved 2015-10-03.
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