National Conference on Thursday termed the Central Government’s deafening silence on the continued killings of civilians in Kashmir as immoral and said alienation in the Valley, especially among the youth was unprecedented and endemic. National Conference Provincial President for Kashmir, Nasir Aslam Wani said New Delhi’s tried and tested formulations of dealing with the problem in Kashmir as a law and order issue had created a sense of hopelessness and despair in the Valley.“The absence of any political engagement with the sentiment in Kashmir has created a very hostile atmosphere. New Delhi’s failure to even acknowledge that there is a political issue that needs to be dealt with is extremely dangerous. With every passing day the youth in Kashmir are losing whatever little remaining vestiges of faith they have in the democratic system and that is a loud and clear condemnation of both the State as well as the Central Government”, the NC Provincial President said in a statement issued from Party Headquarters in Srinagar.
In a statement issued to KNS, the NC Provincial President said the Central Government’s failure to express basic empathy and concern for the civilians in Kashmir was disheartening and disappointing. “Even after the Union Home Minister’s visit to the Valley nothing has changed on the ground. Despite the heart-rending fact that hundreds of young kids have been blinded and handicapped for life by the use of pellet guns, the Government has chosen to allow the use of these allegedly non-lethal weapons that have caused three deaths and countless injuries till date. The crackdown on mobile telecommunications and internet continues as an attempt to muzzle the voices of criticism in the Valley. The visit has yielded absolutely nothing – there has been no introspection and re-think”, the NC Provincial President further stated.“Evidently dismayed and disappointed by the brazen arrogance and ignorance demonstrated in handling Kashmir – both by the State and the Central Government, the Governor of J&K, N. N. Vohra has also proceeded on leave – indicating the gravity of the situation in the Valley. The Chief Minister continues to either contradict herself with every passing day or distort the reality on the ground to survive in her chair. Her administration is completely and solely invested in fabricating a sense of normalcy rather than working towards facilitating actual normalcy – and that has called into question the basic writ of the State Government today”, the NC Provincial President added.
The NC Provincial President said New Delhi should realize that Kashmir is a political issue and not a manifestation of terrorism or a generic law and order problem. “New Delhi should immediately engage with Islamabad and also stakeholders in Kashmir including the leadership of the Hurriyat Conference in a sustainable and open-ended dialogue. The prolonged delay in reaching out to the people of Kashmir through a comprehensive political initiative is fraught with unimaginable risks”, the NC Provincial President said.The NC Provincial President expressed grief and sorrow on behalf of the party over the civilian killings in the Valley and prayed for the quick and complete recovery of thousands of youth who have sustained grievous injuries in the unrest. “Our hearts go out to the families of the deceased youth and also thousands of those who are battling serious injuries in our hospitals. These losses are inconsolable and heart rending”, the NC Provincial President stated. (KNS)