KL Report
SRINAGAR
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti has Tuesday said 2014 offers an opportunity to the people of Jammu and Kashmir for changing political and governance systems in the state. She was addressing a well attending public meeting in Kalakote constituency of Rajouri district.
Mehbooba said the system in the state has remained hostage to the interests of a single party, which alone or in alliance, has been calling the shots without any serious challenge from within the system. That monopoly resulted in complete disempowerment of institutions and corruption in political and government system. “Whether it is the mandate for high elected positions, admission to the professional courses, recruitment to class IV jobs or engagement of daily wagers or seasonal labours is on sale,” she said.
Mehbooba said there is no doubt that people are fed up with the misrule and corruption of the National Conference-led government and the wave of change sweeping other parts of the country has added to the momentum and urge for change in Jammu &Kashmir, as well.
She said a dispassionate use of democratic right to vote can bring in a real change in the lives of the people and empower them to guide their own destiny adding that fortunately the young population of the state is increasingly realising that fact which could be the game changer in the next elections.
She said the people of the state have now a clear choice available to them whether they want to continue with the lawlessness, darkness, repression and corruption of status-quo or give a decisive mandate to the PDP, which has established its honesty of intention and ability to deliver during its brief stint in power. She said PDP will never compromise on the rights of the people.
Mehbooba said the coalition government has started resorting to the election time gimmick of laying foundation stones of projects in air. She said on the one hand Omar Abdullah has acknowledged the financial crisis caused by his government and on the other hand dozens of foundation stones are laid without any funding backup.
She said the people of the area brought to her notice an instance where foundation stone of a bridge costing six crores, had been laid with an actual allocation of rupees two lakhs. She said by unveiling a nearly four decade old foundation plaque in Jammu University, the present government has added a new farcical dimension to its development fraud.
