New Delhi: National Conference’s Member of Parliament Hasnain Masoodi Tuesday called for a meaningful dialogue to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir issue and demanded that Assembly elections be conducted in the state at the earliest. 

‘There should be a roadmap to tackle the Jammu and Kashmir issue. There was talk about ‘Jamhuriat’ (democracy), but the state of Jammu and Kashmir was being deprived of the festival of democracy,’ the Anantnag member said in the Lok Sabha during the debate on Motion of Thanks on President’s address to the Joint Sitting of Parliament.

There was a need for a government which is accountable, he said, during the debate which was initiated on Monday by first-timer BJP lawmaker Pratap Chandra Sarangi.

There was no reason or opportunity for President’s Rule, Masoodi said, adding that Assembly elections were being postponed without any reason.

He said there was talk about delimitation, and ‘the idea of delimitation is being put forth as the reason for not conducting polls’. 

He said there were no development, no roads, no electricity and no tourism left in the state.

‘Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for aspirational regionalism but it has not percolated in the speech,’ he said.