Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 4: Opposition People’s Democratic Party patron and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today reminded Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his promise of following the policy of his party veteran Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Kashmir.
“Claims were made that the present BJP Government will follow former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee’s line on Kashmir but there is no evidence of that either on political or on humanitarian level.
“Modi is missing the moment to rise to Vajpayee’s level,” Sayeed told a party convention here.
The PDP patriarch recalled that when he took over as Chief Minister in 2002, Vajpayee was first to invite him and he could feel the urge of the Prime Minister to connect people of Kashmir with rest of country by reaching out to them, and also to build bridges with Pakistan to resolve the issue amicably.
“The same sprit needs to be revived,” Sayeed said.
The Prime Minister must seize the present moment in the aftermath of the recent floods to lead reconstruction of Kashmir from the front, he said.
Terming Government’s response to the flood tragedy that struck Jammu and Kashmir as “grossly inadequate” and “tardy,” Mufti asked the Centre to come out of the “indifferent attitude” toward the State and reach out to the victims.
“PDP wants to convey to Government of India in strongest terms that the response to the tragedy in Kashmir has been grossly inadequate, tardy and it looks cruelly indifferent.
“(Prime Minister Narendra) Modi’s reputation as pragmatic leader is on test in Jammu and Kashmir and even after one month after the catastrophic floods the Government of India is yet to convey a sense of urgency in rehabilitation and reconstruction of the ravaged State,” Mufti said.
He said the Centre has in the past responded with all urgency and seriousness to the natural calamities that have struck various parts of the country, whether it was tsunami, earthquakes or floods.
“However, in case of Kashmir there seems to be a lack of empathy and concern which could result in increasing the trust deficit between the State and rest of the country,” the former JK Chief Minister said.
The PDP patron demanded from the Centre that a minimum compensation of Rs 5 lakh for every destroyed house and Rs two lakh for repairable house may be announced to the victims immediately.
He said Modi as a Chief Minister had rebuilt Gujarat in the wake of earthquake and even extended immediate help to Uttrakhand, in its moment of crises, but he is still to respond “adequately” as Prime Minister of the country to the “pain and destruction” J&K has suffered in recent floods.
Sayeed said the Centre’s response to the tragedy in the Valley could redefine the level of relationship between the people here and rest of the country which has in the past been “victims of mistrust and mistakes.”
“People of State could not be left to their own fate for the inability of State Government to deliver. The Centre has a moral and legal obligation to provide immediate relief and ensure proper rehabilitation of the affected people at the earliest and such a responsibility is not limited to the only visit of PM and announcement of initial financial package,” Sayeed said.
The PDP patron noted that the democracy is strengthen by the people and not by territory alone. “Government has to reach out to the people at this crucial juncture with adequate relief and ensure proper rehabilitation and reconstruction,” he said.
He said it was “unfortunate” that the Union Government has not even announced its plans of rehabilitation so far.
“We have avoided indulging in any blame game and instead have tried to join the rescue and relief operation across the State without politicizing the issues,” he said, adding, that it is now putting the Government on a notice because things are getting worse with the approaching winters.
“Similarly there has been a colossal loss suffered by business community, tourism sector, farmers in agriculture and horticulture sectors and infrastructure. All of them will need adequate compensation,” he added.
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