Erosion in Chief Minister’s institution a sad account of misgovernance in corruption ridden state. Mehbooba.

Before I make mention of urgent issues dogging the state of Jammu and Kashmir I as an individual and also head of  the largest opposition in Assembly  feel it my bounden duty to express my dismay and shock over the treatment metted out to press fraternity today in Assembly , from the treasury bench as well as from the Presiding Officer. While you have your own code and initiative to deal with such crisis , I have an obligation to express solidarity and will hope that press is honoured at least for its role  it is playing  it is playing despite criticism and odds.

Dear Journalists , like you me and my party has more unpleasant experience about gagging  voices by NC whenever it is about a public debate and discourse or about issues brought to fore as a  public trust .

We have ,since inception of the budget session cast upon ourselves this duty   towards the people to raise issues of their interest or issues that effect our polity.

This would deserve more the mention of  the miseries of  people compounded by misgovernance as also the  erosion in the  authority of the institution of Chief Minister in Jammu and Kashmir , the gift of Omar Abdullah to the state.

To put this  in perspective and  my assertion on how how peoples’ aspirations were belied and hopes shattered., I make  a passionate appeal through you to join us in our campaign to  save the state and the institutions  which  cannot be possible also without honest appraisal by the ruling class who however were unfortunately misguided by self-assumed bias and tendency to live in the world of fantasies.

Evrybody is witness to the fact that  it was actually in 2002 when things had started moving from hypocrisy and double speak  to honest approach of   meeting  the urges of the people through good-governance and plain talking .  A political road map based on  this vision was put into action by Mufti Saheb which   changed  the narrative  from shallow sloganeering  to a real vision.  For the first time emotional blackmail of Plebiscite days was substituted by fulfillment of goals in gradual  and honest manner.  Let me refer here to  then Prime Minister  Vajpayee’s peace initiative undertaken from troubled Srinagar itself and the follow up in Indo-Pak friendship which made the cross-LOC trade and opening of Srinagar- Muzaffarabad road possible as a dream come true.  I may also  point out how removal of POTA, release of political leaders , closing of SOG and pace –setting developmental projects including Mughal Road along with reforms in administration lent a new direction to beleaguered system and restored confidence in the people for a better tomorrow. The mobile was a fine addition that lent different colour to obsessions on security. Congress President Sonia Gandhi,s travel through the down town in Srinagar also was something which narrowed widened gaps and provided  answer to inflicted wounds . That is how concept of self rule gained acceptability among the cynics even and everyone was encouraged to talk peace and plead Indo-Pak friendship.

I ,  however, rue that in the middle of confidence building and  emerging scenario of change , a process of undoing is let loose , presided by a non-serious approach of the present Government which is ironically refusing to improve even for their own sake.

In this denial mode ,  the present Government doesn’t bother about misuse or no use of money under NREGS, loss of water resources ,  rising power crisis , wastage of central funds and above all the dip taken by the institutions in credibility creating an atmosphere of mistrust and dismay among the people. What is more  worse is the  institutional corruption with reports of  involvement of sitting ministers and Chief Minister in alleged scams and other misdeeds.  The  shadow and mist of the killing of Syed Yousuf  around stories of money-changing and  impressions of tainted tools  is hovering on entire political spectrum of the state , bringing it to disrepute and . As a natural consequence people are influenced by the gruesome details which offers no escape to masters of horror. State’s fate is hanging.

The erosion of faith in other institutions and expanding miseries of the people is a sordid tale  one would like an end to .But  that NC elite continue to thrive on their miseries and in their own style of self-projection is playing with the image of the people outside state. That is why stone-pelters were projected as mercenaries, teenaged are booked hand-cuffed , elders are ridiculed and merchants of greed   live in their own image and make the innocent , struggling masses of the state as suspects at national level..

It no tall claim but expression of a conviction arising out of self-realization that I have no craving for power as Omar Abdullah would make people believe. The long struggle of my  father and my  humble back-ground offer enough answer to such pitty taunts.. 

This cannot stop me from seeking answer to infighting in the ruling alliance which has resulted in lack of accountability , non-implementation of central schemes and general misuse.  It is shocking that in the resource starved state even casual labor  is engaged on local funds and political influence and irregularities in NREGS, PHE , PDD and Education go unheeded.  Despite Notices from Accountability Commission on appointments of Advisors in unlawful manner , Government is unmoved and creat a defence or runs for shelter in legal recourse instead of becoming transparent and morally upright.

I was not surprised that Governor’s address didnot make a mention of Truth and Reconciliation and police is addressing public grievances instead of policing the paranoia of Government evident by new mapping of each house and its residents for a police data file. The empowerment of Panchayats is on hold, transfer industry in flourishing , society is criminalized , recruitments agencies are politicized and funds are sent down the drain.  The issues like removal of AFSPA , or rehabilitation of Pundits or boys across the border and revival of dialogue are used on critical occasions as a diversion to manage the self-created crisis. Thanks to the complacency , the known  trait of the Chief Minister.    

See the unflinching support which was extended to Omar Abdullah at National level , both from his “ friends” in Delhi, the ruling parties and the opposition. But this is a “ wasted opportunity “ as the ground situation bears testimony to a persistent decline and fall in values, growth , and governance. The  tragedy is defined more explicitly by a bare fact that  neither the distress of widows , orphans or disabled  nor the suffering of unemployed educated youth moves the conscience of  Chief Minister  under  scanner. I solicit your support in fighting this arrogance . That in the larger interests of the people whose future is at stake along with the very survival of the system , which has claimed a huge cost to develop as a shelter and hope. Thanks.