National Conference Working President and Chief Minister of J&K Omar Abdullah has said that PDP had at a point of time harbored plans to stigmatize the youth who had crossed the Line of Control and exploit them for political pidends after branding them as “surrendered militants” who would have been forced to surrender in army camps in front of cameras had this government not persisted and implemented the Rehabilitation Policy against all odds. Omar said that this was the precise reason why PDP voted against the NC-supported Rehabilitation Resolution in the State Assembly with a complete lack of concern for these youngsters and their families.
Speaking at a Workers’ Meeting for Wachi Constituency in Chatrigam in Wachi Shopian, Omar Abdullah said that PDP was obsessed with impetuously opposing every single people-friendly measure or initiative due to their petty political and partisan considerations. “PDP opposed the creation of Shopian District when Ghulam Nabi Azad was the Chief Minister and tried their best to make sure that Shopian doesn’t become a District. They opposed the creation of Ganderbal, Bandipora and Kulgam Districts as well. Then they opposed the Rehabilitation Policy for our youth who wanted to come back from across the LoC. Then, when we announced another historic 'decentralization of power' exercise in the shape of New Administrative Units – they opposed the creation of New Administrative Units by spreading lies and canards through their propagandists who masquerade as experts. Then once we took out a formal order announcing the creation of these units, they called this a mere formal order on paper. Today the biggest answer in the face of this propaganda by PDP is that just a few days back we have started the process of manning and making functional every single New Administrative Unit in the State and by September my Government will make very single New Administrative Unit in J&K fully functional”, the NC Working President said.
Omar Abdullah said that both PDP as well as certain sections of the Security Forces leadership were opposed to the idea of the Rehabilitation Policy. “Both Mufti Sayeed and some elements in the Security Forces wanted these young men to come with weapons and surrender at Army Camps near the LoC after which pictures would be taken of them and they would be branded as surrendered militants in press statements – stigmatizing them in the society and making them vulnerable to be exploited and used for political pidends. This was unacceptable to National Conference and I ensured that these youth come back with utmost dignity and today out of the nearly 400 youth who have returned, around 16 youth belong to Wachi Constituency alone. That is actual and transformational political change. What our opponents are parroting about is deception and half-truths. Had these youth returned during the PDP tenure, the PDP would have ensured that they bargain with these youngsters on their freedom and ask them for political favors in return of a life of dignity. Thank God they were saved from humiliation”, Omar said.
The NC Working President said that Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as Chief Minister started distributing SRO-43 checks that were processed during the Dr. Farooq Abdullah government to bask in self-projection. “Mufti Sayeed after becoming the Chief Minister started handing out checks of relief and compensation that were normally handed over to deserving people by Deputy Commissioners and other concerned officers. He did this for the cameras and created the ‘healing touch’ myth after taking pictures with awardees of SRO-43 and humiliating them in the process by lifting the veil of secrecy over such affairs. While PDP’s Machiavellian political strategies might have helped them in the short-term and harmed us in the short-term to, I pray that we are never afflicted with this disease of exploiting the misery and agony of people for photo-ops and media coverage”, Omar Abdullah added.
Omar Abdullah said that the National Conference Candidate from Wachi, MLC Showkat Hussain Ganai was a dynamic, dedicated and sincere young political leader who had worked very hard for the people of Wachi. “In Showkat you have a strong and sincere voice who as MLC represented the issues of Wachi in particular and Shopian District in general without any personal considerations or interests. We made Showkat an MLC for his hard-work and to encourage young leaders like him who want to serve their people with dedication. Now it is time that you send Showkat Ganai to the Legislative Assembly as an MLA so that Wachi gets the attention and the representation that it deserves. The strong position of NC in Wachi today and the hard-work of Showkat Ganai has unnerved PDP President to such an extent that she is scared to resign as an MLA in Wachi after becoming an MP in Delhi. They cannot find anyone with mettle who could give National Conference a fight in the Assembly Elections from Wachi. Even if the PDP President comes back from the Parliament and re-contests from Wachi herself, she should have no doubt in her mind that Showkat Ganai will hand PDP a historic and crushing defeat”, Omar Abdullah said while asking senior NC Workers and party activists to strengthen the organizational cadre structure and defeat every single political ploy of the opponents in the coming elections.
NC Working President Omar Abdullah said the Government would look into some possible relief measures for those under debt of Kisan Credit Cards and would continue taking every possible step to help and support the common fruit grower. Omar Abdullah also assured the people that the Government would soon announce a reduction in the power fees and continue to create avenues and opportunities of employment for the youth - in line with the track record of the last five and a half years. The NC Working President also said that the functioning of CAC in Zainpora would be looked into and any shortcomings would be eradicated so that people in Zainpora can have access to complete healthcare facilities. Omar Abdullah also said that the Government would inquire into the status and feasibility of the Lift Irrigation Project for Safa Nagri and ensure proper embankment of the canal there to safeguard lives.
On this occasion senior political activist and leader Bashir Ahmed Malla of Zainpora, Wachi re-joined National Conference in MLC Showkat Hussain Ganai's presence along with his workers and pledged to work for Omar Abdullah's vision of sincere politics and statesmanship.NC General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar, NC Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani, NC Spokesman Junaid Azim Mattu, NC Candidate from Wachi and MLC Showkat Ganai, District President Shopian Shabir Ahmed Kullay were also present on the occasion.
Others who spoke on the occasion besides NC Working President and J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah included MLC Showkat Hussain Ganai, NC Spokesman Junaid Azim Mattu, NC District President Shopian Shabir Kullay, NC District President of Women's Wing Shopian and following senior party activists from Wachi: Mohammad Shabaan Kumar, Mohammad Ramzan Lone of Wachi-B, Sarpanch Abdul Hamid Bhat of Safa Nagri, Ghulam Hassan Bhat of Narwor, Moulvi Ghulam Rasool of Chotigaam, Syed Muzaffar Shah of Pandu Shah, Mohammad Abbas Bhat, Ghulam Mohammad of Imaam Sahib, Abdul Hamid Lone, Mahmood Ahmed, Bashir Ahmed Malla of Zainpora Wachi, Abdul Rashid Bhat of Band Pawa and Youth Activist from Wachi Aijaz Ahmed. (KNS)