Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR Apr 9: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president today accused the ruling National Conference (NC) of creating a “drama” in the Legislative Assembly for the past three days to divert attention from key public welfare bills cleared by the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
Addressing a press conference here, the PDP Chief said the recent event at the Tulip Garden, where Union Minister Kiren Rijiju was welcomed by NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, has sent a “shameful message” to the Muslim community in the country.
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“This is particularly unfortunate for Muslims who are already feeling alienated and attacked. The leadership of the NC, by welcoming the very Minister who brought the controversial amendment in Parliament, has shown where they stand,” she said.
The PDP Chief accused the NC of staging the Assembly uproar to avoid discussion on three important bills cleared by the LG – the Daily Wagers Regularization Bill, a bill to provide land to poor people proposed by PDP leader Waheed Parra, and a bill to ban liquor in Jammu and Kashmir. “To divert attention from these bills and the Tulip Garden event, the ruling party has been creating noise in the Assembly for the past three days,” she said, adding that the PDP will soon challenge the amendment in court.
Responding to a question about domicile certificates being issued to nonlocals, the PDP leader said satellite townships were being built and land was being distributed to outsiders as part of a larger agenda. “Where else in the country have you seen 83,000 domiciles issued within a year or two? This is being done to change the demography of Jammu and Kashmir,” she said.
On the BJP’s claim that the new amendment ensures social justice for Muslims, the PDP chief questioned why Muslims were not consulted before bringing in the amendment. “If this was really in the interest of Muslims, why is every Muslim voice, except for the National Conference, opposing it?” she asked.
She also criticized Omar Abdullah for not taking a stand against the amendment in the Assembly, saying he should have followed the example of Tamil Nadu’s government, which refused to implement a similar law.
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