KL Desk
Wachi (Shopian)
Blaming Omar Abdullah-led government for pushing Jammu and Kashmir into a state of political and governance morass, PDP patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed on Monday said with the support of people his party can pull the state out of present anarchy and rot and put the decaying system of governance back on track.
“The present dispensation has exposed the state to the worst failures both on institutional and governance fronts and people now desperately want to get rid of this anarchist regime, sooner the better,” Mufti said while addressing a day-long PDP workers convention here.
He said plagued by ineptitude, disorder and corruption, the political structure of the present coalition government has completely collapsed resulting in the paralysis of the state’s administrative structure as well. “And it is a pity that the Chief Minister instead of improving his performance is busy blaming everybody except his own ways for putting the state and its people into this quagmire,” he said.
The PDP patron said inability of the state government to effectively respond to the problems of the people could contribute to the feeling of political alienation and anger which has already started among the masses.
Expressing dismay over the worst power crisis being faced by the people across the state in general and twin districts of Pulwama and Shopian in particular, Mufti said the electricity supply has hit the worst levels since 2002, before which also the NC government had ensured that the state is starved of electricity.
“While power tariff has been hiked manifold but the supply is decreasing everyday, the power reforms initiated by the previous government have been shelved, no new infrastructure is being development in the transmission and distribution sector and the chief minister continues to blame the consumers and the department for the crisis,” he said.
Condemning the wanton use of force against protesters in Pulwama who were demanding proper power supply, Mufti accused the NC-led government of always having let loose a reign of terror on the people even for demanding basic amenities. “Ironically, when in June 1988 nine persons were killed in Srinagar when police opened fire on people protesting power tariff hike, in the 7.30 pm news bulletin on the radio that evening, the then Chief Minister was quoted to have dubbed the hapless victims as Pakistani agents,” he said.
Mufti said it is not understandable as to how the present government managed the reversal of the power situation which had shown remarkable improvement under the previous coalition government, “We had several winters between 2002 and 2008 as well, but we assured uninterrupted power to metered areas and restricted load shedding schedules for the rest”, he said and added that though on one hand the government claims to have received huge funds and additional power from the central government, the supply position had only worsened .
Accusing the coalition government in the state of using Sarpanchs and Panchs as political tools, Mufti said when it comes to the empowerment of Panchayat representatives, there is no tangible action on that count.
“Sarpanchs and Panchs have their own dignity and are an institution within. They have been elected by 80 per cent of the people but the government has insulted and humiliated them as no step has been taken for their real empowerment”, he said and added that the state government after having undermined the authority of Panchayat representatives is now further belittling them by trying to buy their votes for Legislative Council polls.
