GNS Srinagar August 28: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has said while his party looked at power as a means to transform lives of people it was not possible to achieve developmental goals as long as the present system was not completely overhauled. Addressing a public meeting at Budgam near here today he sought people’s cooperation in completely changing the system of governance that had been hijacked by the vested interests represented by the corrupt power elite and their cronies. “Total change is the need of the hour and with people’s support we will bring it in” he said. On this occasion senior party leaderand former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beig, Fomer Finance Minister Tariq Hameed Karra, Aga Syed Mehmood, District President Saifudin Bhat, Azad Ab Samad, Aga Bashir Ah , Aga Syed Yousuf, Gh Mohiudin , Gh Hassan Bhat, Ab Samad and Haji Gh Hassan Sheikh were present and spoke to the occasion.
Mufti said it was his personal wish to bring in a system that made people the ultimate arbiters of their fate and rulers accountable in true sense. “It does not matter whether we come to power or not as it is the will of the people which would decide it but we would strive for establishment of a system that can stand up to any attempts at its subversion by the ruling class” he said. “Whosoever gets the mandate must be subjected to strict scrutiny by the system and institutions should have the power and independence to enforce the constitutional provisions” Mufti added.
Mufti said people’s will could never be ignored or overruled in a democratic system. Neither New Delhi nor the state had any other options except giving democracy a full chance, he said regretting that their was never a matching response from either the establishment or the public opinion in the country to repeated assertion from the state of its faith in democratic values. He said Peoples Democratic Party was now spearheading the movement for resolution, democracy and empowerment and it would take the mission to its logical conclusion with the overwhelming support of the people it is receiving in every area of the state. He said while internally the delivery system, accountability and anti corruption measures have to be strengthened, we have listed the issues that must be addressed by the center to facilitate a new dignified and peaceful beginning in the state.
Referring to the maladministration and corruption in the state Mufti said the national conference led coalition had landed the state in its worst crisis on political and economic fronts. He said the ministers had declared independence in running their departments like personal fiefs and the chief minister had lost political and moral authority after his own involvement in the episode relating to Haji Yousuf’s death in suspicious circumstances. “Chief Minister can not question any minister or official after the corruption in ruling family and the party was exposed through Yousuf gate” he said. Similarly, he said the multi crore cricket scam in which the funds received for promotion of cricket were brazenly siphoned off has been hushed up to save the skin of the ruling party bigwigs and their cronies.
Mufti said power supply has hit the worst levels since 2002, before which also the NC government had ensured that the state is starved of electricity. Tariff has been hiked manifold but supply now is decreasing everyday. The power reforms initiated by the previous government have been shelved and the chief minister is blaming the consumers and the department. It is the same people and same department that turned things around in 2002.
Mufti said the latest noises about the NHPC projects by the government are amusing to say the least. They handed over ten major projects to NHPC between Dr Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah and have now started shedding crocodile tears over the “loot of state resources”. Now to increasing power woes the government and its apologists chant NHPC he said and added things can’t get more brazen than that.
Pointing to the development freeze Mufti said development works under the state and central sectors are victims of government lethargy, corruption and favoritism. Whatever works are taken up are driven by contractors close to government. There is no development strategy for the government and corruption is rampant as was pointed out even by the CAG. He said malpractices in schemes like NAREGA, SSA, RAMSA and JNURM have reached a level where the disbursements have been stopped.
Mufti said backdoor entries in government jobs and extension to retired civil servants have become a norm again as a trademark of NC government. Youth are harassed by the state within and outside J&K and doors for them are closed in the government. Around 1 lac jobs are awaiting recruitment but the government is not moving to fill them up. The reason could be to fill them up against money and political considerations around the time of elections. Mufti regretted that government jobs had once again become a commodity that is sold and purchased.
Mufti said Panchayats have been reduced to a mere propaganda handle. Without their full and meaningful empowerment these institution could be a source of alienation rather than empowerment he added and promised these institutions a constitutional empowerment when PDP got a full mandate.
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