PDP cautions against worsening governance, security scenario Dangerous mix: Mehbooba Corruption, promises hallmarks of Omar government: Baig

GNS Srinagar July 8: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the worsening governance and security situation in the state created a dangerous mix that could assume unpredictable dimensions and direction. Cautioning the people against this grim situation the party president Mehbooba Mufti and senior leader Muzaffar Hussein Baig urged them to direct their resentment along democratic and peaceful channels alone. They were addressing a well attended public meeting at Villgam in Handwara constituency of Kupwara district.

The two leaders said the state has suffered too much and too long as a result of the policies and misgovernance of successive NC governments, “but this government takes the cake even by their own standards”. They said the disturbances in 2010 were a result of governance deficit as was admitted by the UPA government at the center itself, of which the state coalition is a part. It was hoped the Omar Abdullah government would learn its lessons and set governance right but it seems his survival on crutches has only made him more arrogant giving him a misconceived notion of invincibility they said. “In a democratic set up no body is above the will of the people and PDP is going to establish this principle firmly in the state with support of the people” she said.

Mehbooba said the government was creating a pressure cooker situation in the state by remaining insensitive to development needs of all areas which could lead to an explosion. She said government was responding to serious issues of development with either false promises or police action. Even a somber and sad occasion like the burning of Dastgeer sahib which pained everyone is being responded to with police action against countless youth taking the repressive tactics for survival to the lowest level she said.

Referring to the problems faced by the border Kupwara area Mehbooba said the recent two day strike in the district should be an eye opener for the government. She said this was a protest perhaps for the first time at that scale anywhere in the state for purely developmental issues like roads, electricity and water but it seems the government in its trademark callousness has not even taken a note of this development. She said if the government could be so insensitive to ordinary day to day problems in a district that has a majority of NC MLAs the situation in other areas could very well be imagined.

Mehbooba said Kupwara has suffered the most as a result of two decade long strife and militancy. Thousands in the area were rendered destitute, widows and orphans but it was only after 2002 that the people here could heave a sigh of relief. She said the NC was still in its feudal mindset expecting people to let it exploit once again on false promises of autonomy which they sold out for their family interests and power. “We will not allow the atrocities of the past make a come back and people must now make a difference between their genuine well wishers and false claimants who have for decades exploited them only for personal gains” she said.

 Muzaffar Hussein Baig said the present coalition had specialized in making two things: money and announcements. It seems their motto was only to fill personal pockets, make fortunes in and outside the state and try to keep people happy with announcements or silenced through force. While the ministers are busy making money, the administration is directionless with the efficient and honest sidelined and favorite fixers ruling the roost. “Some of the ministers and ruling politicians are now among the richest members of the society even though they have had a humble background before joining politics” he said and added that the vigilance and accountability structure created by the previous government had virtually been dismantled. But, he said, people had seen through their game and now every section of the society was on the streets demonstrating for one thing or the other and they would refuse in future to fall prey to their tactics.

Baig said the people must try to benefit from the emergence of PDP as a viable alternative to the NC that had held a monopoly over decades. He said we are interested in genuine political scrutiny and public auditing of all elected representatives through democratic participation of people. Unfortunately this option has not been available to people in the state which compounded its political problems. He said it would be in the interest of the NC itself it were to take note of the new realities of the state, improve its performance and display some commitment to people. “Crutches would not take them very far as the people would no more accept proxies and those who sell their mandate for disempowering the state for their own interests” he said referring to the continued sell out of state resources by the NC in the shape of power projects and institutions like the J&K Bank.Former Minister Gh Mohiuddin Sofi and District president and MLA Lolab Abdul Haq Khan said the present government had stopped all the special programs started by previous government for employment generation and development in the district. They said the party would vociferously campaign for development and fight the government apathy.  Mohd Amin wani Distt Secretary  Adv Raja Manzoor Fayaz Ahmad Mir Mohd shafi Z/P Irfan Pandithpuri Mohd Afzal Wani