Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and National Conference Working President, Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said it had “become clear beyond any doubt” that the PDP-BJP Government had withheld flood relief and development funds for ten months “to persecute the people of the State” who have overwhelmingly rejected this failed alliance of opportunism.“The Governor’s administration has released a certain amount of money for flood victims, has undertaken dredging of Jehlum on a war-footing and resumed work on stalled developmental projects that were initiated before the PDP-BJP Alliance took over. Since there was no new inflow of funds from New Delhi, it goes on the prove that the PDP-BJP Government had deliberately suffocated the State, depriving people of development and relief,” the NC Working President said while talking to reporters during an extensive tour of his Beerwah Assembly Segment in North Kashmir.
The NC Working President said the PDP-BJP Government’s biggest indictment was the complete indifference of the people towards this never-ending Government formation theatrical performance between PDP and BJP.“People of the State have stopped wondering and stopped talking about Government formation. This is not only a serious and loud indictment of the PDP-BJP Alliance and its failed Government but it also poses a risk to the future of institutional democracy in a State like Jammu and Kashmir that has been ravaged by political turmoil and uncertainty and where cynicism has long-term consequences. People voted in large numbers and today they stand disillusioned and disenchanted while PDP and BJP continue to deprive the State of an elected Government despite being in an alliance they term sacred,” Omar, according to his party statement, said.
Condemning the profiling and harassment of students from J&K in Calcutta and recently at Mewar University in Rajasthan, Omar Abdullah said the onus was on the Central Government and the particular State Governments to halt this apparently institutionalized policy of profiling students from J&K on one pretext or the other.“You cannot arrest students on the suspicion or allegation of consuming Beef and then send the meat for forensic tests rather than arresting the culprits who beat these students up. Students from J&K cannot be mistreated and harassed in such a brazen fashion and I demand the Central Government should direct all State Governments to ensure not a single student from J&K feels unsafe, harassed and discriminated against. I took this issue up with Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamta Banarjee and she has assured me that the WB Government is committed to the safety of our students there. I have also brought this to the notice of the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Vasundhra Raje and have asked her why our students have been arrested based on mere allegations after being beaten up and assaulted,” he said.The National Conference Working President reviewed the progress of various developmental works in Beerwah constituency and interacted with numerous public delegations in his Constituency Office. He also released a sum of 20 lakh rupees for the macadamization of various roads in his constituency.