RIYAZ UL KHALIQ
SRINAGAR
Breaking its silence over the creation of 659 new administrative units in the state recently by the government, principal opposition party, PDP Tuesday alleged that the decision may turn things bad to worse in the coming days. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti appealed that the ignored areas may also be paid heed.
Addressing a press conference at her Gupkar residence, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti said that there is a strong resentment in minds of people of such areas which have been ignored in the list.
“We fear that people may take to different ways as they have been denied their genuine rights,” Mehbooba advocated.
She alleged that ruling National Conference has been always exploiting things in its favour and that is what it did this time. Mehbooba, however, did not utter a single word against Congress, another partner in the coalition government.
“When government was facing the financial crunch at every level what was the need of creating such huge number of administrative units, she argued, adding, “This is nothing but bad old practice of NC. As elections are nearing, NC has started misusing things.”
She claimed that the present government has nothing to show off to people as it is full of corruption and lacked governance. “We all remember BOPEE scandal, JKCA scam and re-employing retired ones,” Mehbooba said, adding, “What will NC tell people in the upcoming elections? That is why they created such a huge number of units.”
She said that previous government had appointed Bloria commission to look into the making of such units. Later on the present government appointed Mushtaq Ganai as its head who worked for years and finally recommended 222 new administrative units.
“But as NC is known for exploitation and dirty poll gimmicks, its ministers created 500 new units in just a few days making mockery of Ganai commission,” Mehbooba said. She added that when they (NC) have made 659 units, PDP appeals the government to create more 200 units to address the demands of those who are protesting on roads in shrouds and fasting. She claimed that some elders in Budul, Darhal have been hospitalized after they ran loss of water. The people are on an indefinite fast demanding Tehsil status for their area.
She named many villages where people have been on indefinite strike and many others protesting government decision. “The people of Wachi, Kapren, Budul, Wawoora, Athmuqam areas are totally disturbed. NC has made it a matter of prestige,” she said.
“But now when you have created 659 units, it will take just an hour to make other 200,” Mehbooba said asking government to listen to protesting people.
She said that before any tragedy hits people of the state, government should take necessary steps to address their demands.
Mehbooba who was on a visit to Chrar-i-Sharief early in the day, said that people of Jammu and Kashmir have been at the receiving end because of the failures of the NC government. “The employees are not being paid pension now. Transformers run out of oil and people are without electricity and on the other side cabinet announced Rs 1500 crore new admin units,” she said citing her own experience when she was coming back from Chrar-i-Sharief. She informed that she was stopped by protestors on her way back to Srinagar. “The protestors were demanding oil for their transformer which government was unavailable to pay because of shortage of money,” Mehbooba claimed. She added that she had to use some other private vehicle to reach her residence and her official vehicle reached an hour later.
Hitting hard at National Conference, Mehbooba said that it has got its report card from Arvind Kejriwal who named Dr Farooq India’s number 24 corrupt Politician though it was not surprising for PDP.
“It is their trend. Everyone knows what happened to their Plebiscite front. There is nothing like criteria in their dictionary,” Mehbooba said.
Answering, a question, Mehbooba said that when they were in coalition with Congress, they got equal shares for Kashmir and Jammu. “Take example of new districts, we did not budge from our stand. But this is actually discrimination from village level. The present government has divided people.”
