Asking the people to give a decisive and convincing mandate to the Congress Party in the ongoing Assembly elections, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha & Former Chief Minister of J&K said Congress-led Government alone can meet the expectations of the people on the very fundamental count of ‘development’ and ‘good governance’ in view of its earlier track record and performance.Azad said that Congress-led government established a system of justice and fair treatment for all regions and sub-regions with special focus on the remote, backward and neglected areas.
Asserting that road connectivity, power projects, power distribution, providing of clean drinking water, tourism development, creation of health infrastructure, upgradation of schools, setting up of colleges, etc received an unprecedented impetus under Congress-led rule, Azad said that the period from 2006-08 is widely acknowledged as a glorious period of development in the State.GhulamNabi Azad was addressing public meetings in Sagam, Kiherbal, Mattan& Bulbul Mowgam in Kokernag, Anantnag, Bijbhera&Shangus constituencies of Kashmir Valley.
PeerzadaMohammad Sayed, Sitting MLA & Contesting candidate, Manzoor Ahmad Ganai, Former Advisor to Chief Minister& Contesting candidate, Hilal Shah, contesting candidate Anantnag, Gulzar Ahmad Wani, Contesting candidate, prominent personalities, senior party workers, sarpanches and panches were present.Drawing attention to the devastation caused by the recent floods to private properties, commercial establishments, roads, hospitals, schools, colleges, orchards, paddy crop, etc, Azad said that the need of the hour is to have a credible, time-tested and committed Government at this juncture, and that people should not get swayed by emotional blackmail and hollow slogans of the regional parties.
“Congress-led Government has proven track record of reconstruction and rehabilitation, and it is incumbent upon the people of the State to make a careful and wise choice”, said Azad.He assured the people that the first priority of Congress-led Government will be initiating meaningful steps for the rehabilitation of the flood-victims and reconstruction of damaged infrastructure like roads, hospitals, schools, colleges, drinking water network, power distribution systems, etc.Launching a blistering attack on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Azad said “while I do not wish to enter into a slanging match with him, but the stark reality is that he does not have a single achievement to showcase after being Chief Minister for six years, notwithstanding that he enjoyed full cooperation from Congress Party at the State level and unflinching support from the UPA government at the Centre”, adding that this is the reason for him to take recourse to sterile rhetoric and emotional blackmail. He said that instead of trying to make vain attempts to berate Congress Party, Omar Abdullah should speak about his achievements and performance after being Chief Minister for six long years with the full support of Congress Party, as people no longer will get misled by his rants.
Azad said that in just two and half years time we created a tempo of development, introduced innovative tools to execute projects, and painstakingly laid down a roadmap for the sustained development of the power sector, however, unfortunately all the hard work went down the drain due to the non-serious approach of this Chief Minister.He said that Congress-led Government created Chenab Valley Power Projects Corporation (CVPPC), and instead of harnessing the full potential of this institution, he could just ensure appointing a blue-eyed boy as its Chairman. This has been the achievement of our Chief Minister.“What can be a glaring case of inefficiency that he could not make an important institution like Super-Speciality Hospital Jammu functional the way it should have been, notwithstanding the fact that the building part was almost complete during my tenure. I gave Rs 15 crores over and above the norms of the scheme as Health Minister, but the result is before us”, said Azad.
Taking a jibe Azad further added, “While Omar sahab in his trademark style will shift the blame on Congress since the portfolio was with us, but who will tell him that there are certain decisions which go to Cabinet, and there are many issues where Ministers needsupport ofthe Chief Minister, and above, all Chief Minster has to take keen interest in vital projects by providing leadership and direction to the Government”.He said, “Perhaps he never tried to know how SKIMS was set up by ShiekhSahab in a short span of time and by invoking creative thinking”.Referring to increase in the age of medical faculty, Azad said that, inspite of constant persuasion, Omarexhibited similar obduracy and insensitivity for four years and then suddenly towards the end of his tenure he raised the age to 62, adding that he could have done it earlier also in the interest of medical education and patient-care in the State.
“Our ministers took the matter to Cabinet not once or twice, but how much they could insist knowing his vindictive nature and evil intentions.I personally wrote to him, more than once, alongwith other Chief Ministers of the country. All the States responded favourably, but this Chief Minister never acted. I requested him at the foundation-stone laying ceremony of Mahant Medical College, only to be rebuffed then and there. Thank God! good sense prevailed on him in June 2014”, said Azad. Azad said that there are innumerable instances where he has been found lacking in action and leadership, and with no achievement to showcase he hides behind the veil of emotional blackmail, misrepresentation and rhetoric, adding that after six years of performance, he should go the public with his achievements, not the rhetoric.
Explaining the compulsion of supporting the National Conference for full six years, Azad said that had Congress party withdrawn support, National Conferencewould have started chest beating, and would have accused not only us, but the entire nation of betrayal and thus createdbad-blood in the entire Kashmir valley.“Our friends in PDP too would have painted as villains as people know how regional parties keep blaming national parties on slightest of pretexts, to hide their own misdoings and exploit the sentiments of the people”, said Azad adding that we sacrificed our own party at the altar of trust and national interest.He further said that our withdrawal of support would have led to political instability in the State which would have been detrimental to the interest of the country.
Azad also assailed PDP leadership for its pontificatory sermons on corruption, saying that a party which inducted the known corrupt bureaucrats into its fold and whose senior leader have been proven guilty (not mere allegations) in corruption case by CBI court should not teach morality to us. “In both the coalitions we followed principles, but both the allies ditched us. We cooperated with PDP, they backstabbed us. We gave unflinching support to NC, Omar proved to be a non-performer and ineffective Chief Minster and thus became a liability f0r us.These are hard facts”, said Azad.Azad said that within the constraints of coalition, we have tried to serve the people of the State to the best of our abilities and carry forward the agenda of development.
“People of the State are aware about the non-cooperationof PDP and yet within a limited span of two and a half years, Congress-led Government could create a visible impact on the ground and establish its credentials as a pro-development force”, remarked Azad.
“It is in this backdrop we are seeking a decisive mandate from the people, as we will be fully accountable for our performance, and I promise that we will not hide our non-performance by resorting to blackmail”, said Azad. He said that youth of the State cannot afford to lose even a day, not to think of six years, and it is the duty of every citizen of the State to make an informed choice to elect a Government which can successfully translate its words into reality.“There is a need to have a credible, effective and performing Government in the State which can ensure all round and balanced development of all the regions and sub-regions on the analogy of 2006-08”, said Azad adding that Congress Party alone has the credentials to fulfil this criteria and as such people of the State must deliver a bold mandate in our favour.Describing the sanctioning of five Medical Colleges for the State as high point of his tenure as Health Minister, Azad said that these will fill up vital gaps in providing advanced healthcare facilities to the people of all the regions of the State.
“There was a dire need of having higher level medical facility in South Kashmir as the patients belonging to this area had to face huge difficulties for want of higher level care. To fill up this vital gap, as Union Health Minister, I sanctioned five Medical colleges for the State, with one for Anantnag. I am sure, upon becoming functional, people will immensely benefit from the Medical College”, said Azad.He further said that 12 GNM schools and 13 ANM schools have been sanctioned by UPA-II for all the parts of the State to increase the nursing manpower in the State.Azad said that Congress strives for the equitable development of all the regions of the state without taking into consideration the vote bank politics.Making a fervent appeal to the enlightened citizens of the State, Azad said that Congress Party will be able to take along all sections and regions, and provide credible and transparent Government to the State, which will successfully steer the journey of a multi-cultural, multi-regional and pluralistic State of Jammu & Kashmir into 21st century. (KNS)