National Conference patron and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday said that ‘gunda raj’ was not acceptable even as he accused the ruling PDP-BJP alliance of being indifferent to the problems of people in the state.“I am very sorry to say that the present government instead of worrying about situation is further dividing the people. They think by the government they will do gunda (hooligan) raj (rule) that is not going to be accepted,” Farooq said while addressing reporters here, a day after high drama in Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) which saw Sports Minister Imran Ansari claiming to have been elected as President of the state’s cricket governing body. Ansari’s apparent attempt to end Farooq’s 35-year reign was stayed by a court in Jammu.
Farooq, who was re-elected as JKCA President for a three-year term in May 2014, dubbed Ansari's election as “illegal and unconstitutional”, saying he still had nearly two years left in his tenure.“We are not goondas (hooligans) here and we will fight them in the legal battle. We will go to whatever court we have to, and we are not going to be cowed down,” an apparently angry Farooq told the reporters at the press conference which was interestingly held in Association’s Headquarters.“I am very sorry to tell Mufti sahib that this is not what we were expecting from him. We thought he will do some development work for Kashmiris after they suffered huge losses due to floods. They are still suffering but is this government waking up?” he said.
“The youth of Kashmir instead of being channelized in rights groups is getting radicalized. Are they worried about it? Are they thinking how to save the situation? No,” said Farooq, who was also a minister in Manmohan Singh cabinet in New Delhi.
“They are only worried of saving themselves and that is what I want press to be aware of. Please wake up, situation is not under control,” he added.Farooq, according to Global News Service (GNS) also accused police of not registering an FIR against the ‘hooliganism’ by those who broke open the locks at JKCA.
“Can you believe, the concerned SHO refused to accept it and said he will first talk to DGP and IGP because there was a police officer with them when they went, I don't know what to do,” he said.“This is the tragedy of this government. Should India not wake up to what is happening. Shouldn't the right minded people start thinking about this? If this is how they are going to build democracy then I must tell them please be careful. Radicalisation will be to such an extent that it will be impossible to turn it back,” Farooq said.“The (JKCA) was one place where we thought we could channelise the energies of the youth towards betterment and we will continue to work for the youth and give them better line of thinking and better future in the world,” he said. (GNS)