KL Report

SRINAGAR

Describing the National Conference and its leadership as “biggest turncoats” of previous century Senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and Member Parliament, Tariq Hameed Karra, Sunday, said the party (NC) began its long game of “political trade-offs” with the blood of martyrs of July 13, 1931.

Addressing a gathering at the ‘Mazar-e-Shuhada’ (Martyrs’ graveyard) here this morning, he said that the present occupant of the National Conference throne has outdone his ancestors in “double-speak” and compromises on whatever was left of the state’s interests.

Karra also castigated the coalition for what he said, “the restrictions, Hartal and imprisonment of separatist leaders along with rest of the city is a grim reminder of the treachery that National Conference practiced against the people of Kashmir, who had reposed their faith blindly in its leadership.”

The PDP statement quoting Karra said, “The present government has replicated the 1931 atrocities on a larger scale as in 2010 when 126 innocent people were gunned down for demanding their constitutional rights.” “The atrocities and excesses continue to be perpetuated by Omar Abdullah government and the youth and city dwellers are the chief victims of his dictatorial methods.”

The party statement further said that while Omar Abdullah is accusing the PDP of every wrong that his own party has done to the state his latest allegation of the opposition being a collection of turncoats or it being silent on the recent sanctioning of an IIT for Jammu, Karra said: “It seems in his frustration the Chief Minister tries to undo the history of his ancestors and forgets even his own tweets.” He said the Chief Minister has only one month back opposed establishment of IITs and IIMs in every state as a ‘terrible idea’.

Quoting the Chief Minister’s Tweet on June 9th, 2014: “IITs and IIMs in every state is a terrible idea and will dilute these institutions’’, Karra said, “Omar Abdullah must explain his objections to the proposal in the light of announcements of an IIT for Jammu, and not try to mislead the people of Kashmir again who are aware of the PDP’s performance in three years as against the National Conference’s dominance of political scene of Kashmir for more than eight decades.”

He said that if head of the state government himself opposes the very idea of setting up new institutions how does he expect the opposition to get him out of the mess of his own making. “But it is a sign of changing times if Omar expects us to bring an IIT to Kashmir and we assure that we won’t disappoint our people” he added.

Karra, who represents Central Kashmir in the parliament, said the PDP members of parliament will never compromise on the interests of the people who have elected them. “Overwhelming mandate that we have received will be leveraged for the solution of Kashmir issue and issues of Jammu and Kashmir. The people don’t have so short memory as to forget how PDP in its brief tenure established three new universities in the state apart from three additional campuses of existing universities. Contrary to that the Central University sanctioned five years back in Kashmir, continues to function at a skeletal level from rented buildings from different parts of the city.”

He, however, said the PDP will fight for the Kashmir’s right to have an IIM and IIT in this region, as well, “even though Omar Abdullah bartered away the IIM sanctioned for Kashmir last time to satisfy his personal ego”.

Recalling the observance of Martyr’s Day during the tenure of PDP led coalition,” the statement further quoted Karra as having said, “no restrictions were imposed during that period. Everyone was free to participate and pay homage to our national heroes who offered the ultimate sacrifice for the liberation of Kashmir.”

Karra condemned the attacks last night by ‘NC goons’ on PDP workers who were making preparation for the martyr’s day program and warned the ruling party that the days of its browbeating and bullying were over, the statement further added.

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