Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 19: National Conference expressed serious concern over the complete surrender by the Chief Minister’s office in unofficially relinquishing its authority and said Mehbooba Mufti had been reduced to a mere figurehead by New Delhi.
National Conference Provincial President, Nasir Aslam Wani said it was evident that the Chief Minister is no longer the operational head of the UHQ and is merely summoned to play a supporting role to the Governor.
“It is an established precedent and security protocol that the Chief Minister – as the head of the UHQ – calls the security review meetings and heads them. Now, she is invited as a mere participant to such meetings at the Raj Bhawan – if not just as an observer. This doesn’t bode well for the institutions of democracy in the State”, Nasir Aslam Wani said in a statement issued from Party Headquarters in Srinagar.
He said the new trend of security review meetings chaired in Raj Bhawan with the Governor present goes against the spirit of accountable governance in the State. “If New Delhi doesn’t trust Mehbooba they should stop this facade and do something about it. Having security review meetings in the Raj Bhawan belittles the democratic process and the very essence of a Government’s representative character” the NC Provincial President added.
“It is high time Mehbooba Mufti either steps up to the challenges and responsibilities that come with power or at least demonstrate the humility to admit that she isn’t up to the task. Her incompetence, ineptness and lack of leadership threatens to discredit democratic institutions beyond retrievable limits and that’s an enormous risk for a State like J&K”, NC Provincial President stated.
Wani said Mehbooba Mufti’s vestigial role in the current unrest had been provocative, arrogant and counter-productive. “She is responsible for humiliating the agitated youth, being insensitive towards mourning families and in turn aggravating the already grave situation. While her posturing must have earned her laurels and many new friends within BJP and RSS, her stand has added salt to gaping wounds in Kashmir. Coupled with her insensitivity and ruthlessness, her incompetence is pushing the State closer and closer to an unprecedented, disastrous situation”, NC Provincial President further added.
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