Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 15: Senior vice-president People’s Conference (PC) and former minister Abdul Gani Vakil while reacting to Home Minister Amit Shah’s claims about so called rapid development, creation of employment opportunities and improvement in security scenario, termed it as totally false and having nothing to do with the reality, and merely existed in statements and papers.
Vakil was addressing a party convention in Jammu today. He said over one year down the line promises made by the Central Government after abrogation of Article 370 proved to be a mirage and hoax. Instead winning the hearts of people of J&K, the Central Government demoted the erstwhile State in two Union Territories thereby humiliated the people of J&K.
“If the violence has really come down and the security scenario improved, as Home Minister claims then why does the administration failed to stop encounters, and UT witnessing increase in militancy,” Vakil asked.
“Home Minister of India gave a commitment to the nation especially to the people of J&K in Parliament in 2019 to granting back statehood to J&K but still nothing has been done in this direction. If Government of India would have been sincere in granting back statehood to J&K, then it would have definitely fulfilled its commitment,” he added.
PC leader also questioned the Government over its claims of job creation and investments in the region when Article 370 was revoked. “The reality is that lakhs of people have lost their jobs due to the uncertainty and lockdowns. Forget about creating new employment opportunities, thousands of daily-wagers, casual labourers, scheme workers and others have been denied wages for months together, not to speak of their regularisation,” he added.
Vakil said the only thing that the revocation of Article 370 has achieved so far is a complete abrogation of democracy in J&K and suppression of civil and democratic rights and zero development on the ground. Even the unemployment rate is hitting records.
District president Jammu PC, Mohan Lal, vice presidents Tej Ram & Capt Rachpal Chand, general secretary Rajpal Singh and senior leader Shahid Rashid also spoke on the occasion.