Srinagar should lead process of change:Baig
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 14 : Expressing concern at the political marginalization of Srinagar, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) today said the capital city should add its voice and prestige to the yearning for change sweeping across the state, to help it materialze.
Addressing an assembly of youth, students and professionals here today senior party leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig said Srinagar has to lead the revamping of political ethos in the state to make system transparent and accountable. “Unless that happens the systemic change in the state will remain a pipe dream and people of the state would continue to suffer inequity and injustice”, he asserted.
The meeting was presided over by the party president Mehbooba Mufti. Senior leaders Ab Rehman Veeri MLA, Tariq Hameed Karra, Naeem Akhtar, District president Mohd Ashraf Mir and Ab Rouf were also present on the occasion.
Baid said though the entire state has suffered as a result of political instability and strife Srinagar along with border areas has been in direct line of fire resulting in incalculable damage to its human resource and development prospects. He said generations after generation in the state have been pushed to wall as a result of political problems and their exploitation by the NC. He said the NC leaders went back on what ever they said and promised to the people with the result that entire political class had lost credibility in the eyes of people. This can be retrieved to some extent by making politicians accountable through the use of democratic rights, the most important being the right to vote, he added.
Baig said the people of Srinagar had a reason to feel frustrated with the claims of politicians as that suffered repeated betrayal at the hands of NC. PDP, he said wants to give a constructive direction to the opinion and energies of the people so that the dual objectives of restoration of basic problem and developmental challenges are achieved.
Addressing the gathering, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said the youth had been targets of wrath and victimization of successive NC Governments. If till 2002 they faced POTA, Task Force, SOG and unchecked atrocities the present Government has again started a campaign to harass the youth. They are not able to get visas or security clearances for jobs in the Government and thousands are facing police cases on filmsy charges.
Mehbooba said the rampant corruption in the state has put at stake the future of youth. The Chief Minister’s office and his Ministers, all have been exposed before the public. With a few exceptions, all leaders of the Coalition Government have proved cases of corruption and misuse of power against them. She said the Chief Minister has lost moral authority to question any body on corruption.
“ How can he take action against his ministers or MLAs or political workers after the Haji Yousuf case or the cricket Association scam”, she said. “The ministers who did not own a two wheeler in 1996 and lived in small shared houses have now become the richest members of the society. Their sons travel by the most expensive cars while there is no limit to their properties within the state and the rest of the world. This money belongs to people who should have got roads electricity, water, medical and educational facilities but are instead facing police action for raising their voice against this loot”.
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