Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti Monday said the Srinagar city has always remained victim of the National Conference‘s systematic neglect and misrule and the party has been exploiting the historical city for its political gains.Addressing party cadres of Srinagar parliamentary constituency at the party headquarters, Mehbooba said the urban chaos and underdevelopment which the city is facing is all because of the rulers who have been shaming the people of Srinagar, by calling it their safety structure and safe house for their wicked and anti-people political beliefs. Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K, hardly gives a feel of any modern city and there is chaos everywhere because of the NC’s misrule and mismanagement. On this occasion senior party leader Tariq Hameed Karra, chief spokesperson Naeem Akhtar, party treasurer Syed M Altaf Bukhari, senior leader Qazi Mohammad Afzal, party leaders Ab Hameed Kosheen, Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Asiea Naqash, Nisar Ahmad Mandoo, Ab Qayoom Bhat, Bashir Ahmad Mir Kangan, A R Kuchey, Zone presidents Noor Mohd, Muneeb Ahmad, Ab Hamid, Dr Ali MOhd, Mohd Shafi Mir, Gh Rasool Shaheen, Bashir Ah Bhat and others were present and spoke the gathering.The maximum brunt of 2010 situation was on Srinagar. Most of the young men who fell to the bullets of Omar Abdullah’s government, and majority of people against whom FIRs have been lodged, belong to the city. But, ironically, all the eight assembly members and an MP of the party remained silent to the atrocities meted out against the people of Srinagar. Instead they remained busy justifying the government action against the people of Kashmir particularly of Srinagar.
The PDP chief said the chilli grenades and pellet guns introduced by the NC government could inflict maximum injury on the people of summer capital. The rulers have been projecting such methods as a mercy for the people, which are actually inhumane in nature and nowhere in vogue in the country. By legitimising the state action and justifying the killings, the rulers have been criminalising the situation. The youth of the city were pushed to the wall by demonising them as stone pelters, drug addicts and paid agents.Mehbooba said the development is still at primitive stage in Srinagar, where the NC has been able to limit the development discourse to lanes and drains only, while the people in the cities around the country, which are not that historical than Srinagar, have been asking for rapid transport system and planned development. The power scenario is grim here, and in the present cold conditions people have to suffer because of the lack of alternate sources of energy. The rulers are busy in their own joys and fancies and have been only able to increase the power tariff.
The PDP president said the urban chaos emerged out of the demolitions and sealing of structures by the SMC presents the sad state of affairs of the city gives the feel how the NC has been exploiting it. She said the court has been forced to intervene because of the corruption and resultant violations that took place under the NC governments during the past four decades and it is now up to the government to take a call on it. Earlier they allowed these structures to come up by taking money, now at a stage when lot of people are involved in these controversial structures the government resorted to demolition and sealing. Thousands of people mostly the youth have been rendered jobless by this method and the government needs to intervene now.
But the PDP during its brief tenure in the government went for major developmental initiatives in the summer capital: Four-laning of bypass road; construction of flyover; beautification of Jhelum embankments; development of Eid Gah; reconstruction of Aali Masjid, reforms in the power system and various other major initiatives were taken and completed during PDP’s tenure, she said and called upon the party cadre to reach out to the people with the message.It was the democratic right of the Hurriyat leaders to go for election boycott call, but it will the NC agents who will make it to realise on the ground in the city, Mehbooba said and added it is now up to people of Srinagar to think what is good for them. She said 2014 throws an opportunity for the people of Kashmir to ensure a change on the ground and allow a system to come which is sincere and honest.
She said any relationship with New Delhi should be used in the benefit of people not for inpidual interests, but he NC has always allied with the parties in the Centre for the sake of power. In 1996, when the party got unprecedented majority in the assembly they sold seven most feasible power projects to the NHPC, banned Shahtoos, which resulted in to the unemployment of thousands of people in Srinagar; got POTA and started STF to inflict more injuries on the people. Only criterion for Farooq Abdullah was to retain power in the state and junior ministry job for his son.Speaking on the occasion, the party’s candidate for Srinagar parliamentary constituency and former Finance Minister, Tariq Hameed Karra said the PDP, with the support of people, has emerged as strong political forces over the last decade in the state. He said the NC has been thriving on the boycott in Srinagar and the tactical rigging thereof. He called up on the party cadre to work in coordination and help in defeating the hidden designs of the ruling party. Srinagar is heart of J&K and change should start from here. There is perceptible mood from across the state for the PDP and people have accepted it as a regional alternative to the NC, Karra said adding the ruling party which has been looting the state since 1947 needs to be thrown out now.