Terming the ruling coalition a misfortune for the people of Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti, Monday said even after having been rejected in the Lok Sabha (LS) polls the government is still unable to address the real issues of the people.According to a statement issued, on the occasion Nazir Ahmad Laway, district president Kulgam; Farooq Ahmad, zone president and Shiraz Ahmad, youth leader were also present. Addressing various roadside meetings in Kulgam constituency, Mehbooba came down heavily on the National Conference-Congress government for its befooling tactics which it has been resorting to in sheer desperation after facing complete rout in LS polls. “Though the government may be trying to undo the wrongs it has committed in the state for last almost six years with an eye on assembly elections but there is a strong missing link still prevailing between its working and the people,” said Mehbooba. She said fact of the matter is that the government will be known more for its anti-people policies and the war it has unleashed on every section of the society than anything good, and everyone understands its policies and the approach it adopted for its survival without caring for people’s issues.
She said the people clearly see through the objectives of NC-led government’s announcement politics which is aimed at only befooling the voters in the hope of being able to somehow stick to power. And it is now enough frightened by the prospects of defeat in the assembly elections slated later this year. “Although, in desperation they are now trying to reverse the anti-people policies they had adopted for last six years but on the ground they have completely forgotten the people and their problems,” she said.
Mehbooba said as the farming activities, these days, are at peak throughout the Valley and the demand for irrigation waters is at crucial stage but at many places the people have to badly suffer due to lack irrigation waters. “And even drinking water problems have accentuated in spite of heavy rains and water bodies full of water,” she said adding at many places paddy seedling beds have dried because of lack of water.
Mehbooba said there is a crisis of payment in the state and even bills under NRGEA are not paid to the daily earners. She said such a situation has not arisen first time in the state but it has been a routine of sorts under the present government and the people have to face the maximum brunt of the fiscal crisis and mismanagement in the system. She said the bad fiscal scenario has not only affected the contractors and employees only but it has also hit a large number of claimants seeking GP fund, gratuity etc. Mehbooba said previously the temporary gap in revenue and expenditure would be covered by borrowing from the J&K Bank, but everything has changed when this government handed over the management of its finances to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and sidelining its own bank.
Mehbooba said the people are facing immense problems due to lack of ration at many places and the landless families both in rural and urban areas have to suffer more because of the government’s callousness. She said her party has brought this problem to the notice of Central government and told the concerned minister, Ram Vilas Paswan, that due to scaling down of ration quota to consumers in J&K numerous families have been pushed to starvation in many areas.
Expressing concern over the bad condition of roads in entire Kashmir Mehbooba said pitiable condition of roads present a sad commentary on the performance of this government. She said the government is brazenly sleeping over the matter and is not taking steps to mitigate the people’s problems. On the occasion the PDP Chief, who represents South Kashmir in the parliament, announced assistance for various developmental projects in the area from her MPLAD funds.