Excelsior Correspondent
RAMBAN, May 21: Terming Omar Abdullah led regime as “synonymous with mis-governance and corruption,” patron of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today regretted that “revolutionary initiatives”, which were taken by the previous PDP-Congress regime to make the governance transparent, accountable and responsive, have brazenly been reversed by the present dispensation. He observed that the present regime has the dubious record of eroding the existing anti-corruption institutions in various ways to virtually make them defunct.
Addressing a public meeting here today, Mufti reminded the gathering that previous PDP-Congress regime had constituted the State Accountability Commission (SAC) to eradicate corruption but the present Government has made this anti-graft panel defunct to shield its corrupt Ministers.
“The manner in which the present Government has made the SAC virtually defunct betrays its total lack of concern for eradicating corruption”, he said, adding, “While serious allegations of corruption and misuse of office are being made against the Ministers in the present Government, the State Government is not only shielding them but has also made the anti-graft institutions non-functional”.
“The present NC-Congress Government headed by Omar Abdullah has beaten all records of corruption and nepotism”, he observed and added that since formation of this regime, corruption has been legalized in Jammu and Kashmir. “The need for having institutional arrangement for ensuring corruption free governance is ignored by the present dispensation”, he said and assured the gathering that PDP was committed to provide corruption free, accountable and transparent governance to the people.
“During our short span of tenure, we had proved how to provide good governance to the people”, he said and added PDP led regime had not only strengthen institutions but also implemented inclusive development policies which had yielded rich dividends for every region and sub-regions of the State.
Pointing out over-whelming response the party has been receiving throughout the State, Mr Sayeed said that PDP’s agenda of development was now seen positively not just in Kashmir valley but in Jammu and Ladakh regions also. He said that people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh were also treating PDP as their real voice because leadership of this party has earned faith and trust of the people by its convictions and commitments.
He said that agenda of PDP was to establish peace and tranquillity in the State by the changing the present inefficient and corrupt system. “With the support and cooperation of the people PDP wants to establish a new corruption free system”, he said, adding, “as long as NC dominates political scene in the State there is remote chances of stability in this region”.
He, however, said the emergence of PDP as a credible regional force had ended monopolistic politics and introduced a much needed corrective into the democratic system of Jammu and Kashmir.
Responding to the demands being raised by local leaders, he said that PDP already has formulated a comprehensive action plan for the socio-economic growth of the people of erstwhile Doda district. Party further assured that backwardness and underdevelopment of this region would be removed by implementing this comprehensive action plan.
He said that this area was economically as well as strategically important region in the whole sub-continent due to availability of huge natural resources in the form of water. He, however, regretted that instead of improving socio-economic conditions of the locals, the exploitation of water and forest resources has resulted into ecological degradation and destabilization of geological features and a disruption in peaceful lives of common citizens.
The PDP patron demanded that locals should be given priority in the new hydro-electric projects and other developmental activities going on in this belt. “Instead of appointing locals on small petty jobs, the agencies engaged in executing the hydro-electric projects must open training centres here to train the local unemployed youth so as to engage them on technical and skilled jobs”, he said and further demanded proper rehabilitation of the people whose land has been acquired for developmental activities in this belt.
Yashpal Sharma, MLC, Suram Singh, Mehboob Iqbal, Abdul Ahad Wani, Imtayaz Shan, Thakur Hari Om Singh, Shoukat Daing, Hukum Chand, Abdul Aziz Katoch, Vimal Sharma, Mirza Muzaffar Beig, Shakeel Singh, Abdul Aziz Malik and others also spoke on the occasion. In the meeting large number of people from Rajgarh, Kastigarh and Pogal Paristan areas joined the PDP.
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