KL Desk
Srinagar
Condemning the double standards practiced by the National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said prosecution of senior leader Nayeem Ahmed Khan was only the latest instance of the ruling party saying one thing and doing another.
Addressing a workers meet in Home Shalibug on Sunday, party president Mehbooba Mufti has said booking Nayeem Khan for having ‘raised slogans’ two years back by a government whose leading lights have been calling for plebiscite repeatedly is a cruel irony.
Mehbooba said while Sheikh Nazir Ahmed and Dr Mustafa Kamal have repeatedly called for plebiscite the government has been punishing everyone else on charges of saying the same thing.
“Whether it is teenagers killed on the street, primary class boys slapped with PSA or the thousands of young people facing criminal cases, NC government deals with everybody like they did with Nayeem Khan but keeps its own in house separatists secure for misleading the people during elections while also enjoying luxuries of power”.
Mehbooba said it was a crass hypocrisy that Omar Abdullah has followed up his high sounding offer of facilitating talks between centre and separatists by opening up an old case of ‘slogan shouting’ against a senior leader of Hurriyat Conference.
She said this might be the style of the chief minister to create a congenial atmosphere for talks but it has left no one in doubt about the actual designs of NC.
“The fact is that NC never wants talks or resolution as it has thrived on conflict” she said.
Reminding the Chief minister of his announcements made at least on three occasions including on the floor of legislature about withdrawal of cases against the youth, Mehbooba said the chief minister has failed to implement whatever he said. He said either the announcements were meant to be a joke or his own administration has overruled the Chief Minister who in any case has been responsible for lowering the prestige of his office.
She said instead of making high sounding offers the chief minister should try to have his promise of withdrawing cases fulfilled so that a large number of youth facing cases heaves a sigh of relief.
The PDP president said that the NC has historically treated the state as a private property and the present government under its leadership is the worst even by its own standards.
“It is no wonder that the ministers are in news only for the wrong reasons,” she said pointing out that it was for the first time that the corruption in Abdullah family had got exposed in the background of the death of a party worker and family confidante.
“Even as the government is spending all it’s energies only on preventing the stink of its misdeeds from coming out they have utterly failed in it and people now are fully aware of the extent of frauds committed by its ministers and their favourites in the administration,” said Mehbooba.
“Poor homeless people in the state crave for a roof over their heads, the leaders whom they trusted with their vote have amassed so much wealth that they are now transferring it to foreign countries. Some have villas in Dubai while others have mansions and commercial properties spread over Europe and America not to speak of Srinagar, Jammu, Delhi or Himachal Pradesh, “ said Mehbooba while adding that politicians in whose families nobody ever held a proper job or business have become the richest members of society by exploiting people’s trust and selling their blood.
Expressing concern at the development freeze caused by the present government, Mehbooba said no new initiative or scheme had been introduced in its three year misrule.
“To the contrary, even the projects started by the previous government too have been shelved or left abandoned. Ministers and ruling party members are focused only on the random works that are executed through their favourite contractors, relatives or workers. Instead of following a vision or a blue print works are created to benefit favorites and that is why scandals and same are reported everyday,” said Mehbooba.
Speaking on the occasion senior party leader and former finance minister Tariq Hameed Karra said that for the first time in 2008 NC had sought votes in the name providing good governance and developement of the state.
“Omar sb had promised people that NC will provide jobs to 8th pass youth, will give free electricity and reduce Rs fifty on LPG. But, four years down the line people are not getting even enough ration , have to pay four times for electricity which is not even provided properly . LPG gas price has touched a new high in the black market, the only people who seem to have benefited from this govt are those retired beurocrates who have been reemployed by giving them hefty sums monthly,” Qarra said
Speaking on the occasion MLA homshalibugh Sofi Ab Gaffar reminded the people that how after restoring a sense of security the PDP- Congress coalition had opened and up graded scores of new schools along with dozens of new primary health centeres in the homshalibugh constituency. Inspite of the fact the state had less power available at that time but people got more electricity and have to pay much less than today.
