KL Report

SRINAGAR

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Ms Mehbooba Mufti has alleged the ongoing foundation stone laying spree by the government is aimed at hoodwink public opinion in the run up to elections. She said the incumbent government has declared a financial crisis.

“If the National Conference could not make the state self-reliant in 40 years, how Omar Abdullah seeks another term on the same promise that they could not fulfill throughout the party’s history,” Ms Mufti told a public meeting in Budhal (Rajouri). “NC is still under a wrong impression that people of the state can be taken in by foundation stones of fake projects and tall claims of economic self-reliance.”

She said the party has nothing to show by way of performance and it is now resorting to gimmicks and familiar electoral tricks that it has always enacted. She claimed projected started five years ago are still incomplete and delay is attributed to lack of funds. Even the contractors are not getting their bills paid as the treasuries are running dry, she said.

Mebooba said while rulers have enough for their pleasures and fancies, it is the class of pensioners, casual labours, seasonal and need based workers, who are suffering. “These are all signs of bankruptcy, but still the government is misleading the people by laying foundation stones of projects that are never going to be completed,” Ms Mufti said.

Pooh-poohing Omar’s claims that NC would make the state self-reliant by generating hydro power, Ms Mufti said it sounded funny if it not cruel. “Three generations of chief ministers from the Abdullah family handed over the most feasible power projects to NHPC, without the state getting anything in return except environmental devastation, handing over of large chunks of land and dislocation of people living in the affected areas,” she told the people. “The power generated by our projects is illuminating the lives of people outside the state whereas the residents of J&K have been denied access to it.”

Ms Mufti said Omar handed over three major projects to NHPC under the guise of joint venture. In order to deliver a final blow to the state’s financial self-reliance, the J&K Bank was deliberately prevented from funding the state government or its projects. “As the hour of reckoning for NC is approaching and the government is sensing its doom in elections, its leaders are resorting tricks that have seen through by the people,” she said.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here