Gopal Sharma
SAMBA, Dec 9: While declaring that J&K is fast moving towards an era of major ‘change’, former J&K Chief Minister and PDP patron Mufti Mohd Sayeed today said that those moving on other’s crutches can’t stay for long.
Addressing a public rally at Bari Brahamana in Vijaypur constituency where Mufti Sayeed launching an indirect attack on the major ruling party said, “The people moving on other’s crutches can not stay for long. PDP believes to move on its own legs with firm footing. It has earned credibility with hard and sincere work”.
Commenting on the political scenario in the State, the PDP stalwart said that J&K was heading towards an era of change and PDP will play a crucial role in bringing major transformation in the State in coming days. “PDP is the other name of political change in the State and it is the party which can provide viable change, ensure rule of law and justice and equality to the people from all the sections. The people can change their destiny to vote for a major change in the State and that days have come to see this happening shortly”, Mufti maintained.
The PDP leader pointed out that State was poised for a genuine democratic contest for the first time in its history in which the people would have clear options to choose on the basis of performance. He said the emergence of PDP as a credible regional force has ended monopolistic politics and introduced a much needed corrective into the democratic system of the State.
Referring to the political alternative, Mufti said the democracy in the State had suffered in the past for a variety of reasons but one major deficiency was the absence of a credible alternative to the National Conference in Kashmir. This, he said, left people in Valley with ‘fait accompli’ in the shape of National Conference and the fractured Jammu mandate with the result that no matter who voted for whom, NC ended up in driver’s seats.
This unusual atmosphere for a democracy made the NC arrogant and the notion of absolute power and indispensability led it ideologically and materially to absolute corruption and it would swap parties, rig elections, oppress opponents and make U-turns and compromise on State’s vital interests with impunity, Mufti added.
“In the process, the State which is blessed with immense resources for growth suffered economically, socially and politically and is reduced to a begging bowl because there was no political audit and accountability of rulers”, he said.
Mufti said emergence of PDP that is expanding in all the three regions of the State was a historic necessity for other reasons as well. Apart from providing an alternative for governance it could fill a major gap in State’s polity by connecting regions and communities across the State on the single political platform, he maintained.
Referring to alleged anarchy in governance, Mufti said this had resulted in a virtual collapse of social sectors like education and health under this governance. Schemes like the NRHM in Health have failed to upgrade health in rural areas and similarly the revolutionary interventions like the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and RAMSA in Education have not been able to make a difference. “State Government was sitting on the mountains of Central resources without being able to spend it purposefully except where the vested interests saw a change to make personal fortunes,” he added.
Referring to corruption, Mufti said while it was a major problem at the national level, in J&K it had the patronage of people in high places and the Vigilance apparatus had been completely disabled. He said the Government employees would be able to discharge their duty sincerely only under an effective and visionary political direction. The same administration produced entirely different results under the previous coalition and ran the State much better even at the height of militancy, Mufti maintained.
On the occasion, Ch Salim Alam, former Administrator of Auquaf for Samba joined PDP along with 200 supporters.
Several senior PDP leaders including T S Bajwa, Rangil Singh, Ved Mahajan, Ch Zulfiqar, Th Balbir Singh, Shanti Devi, Falail Singh, Hussain Ali, Pawan Dev Singh, Yash Pal Sharma and Capt Anil Gour attended the rally.
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