Excelsior Correspondent
Jammu, Dec 19: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti has said the current foundation stone laying spree, by a Government that has declared a financial crisis, is only to hoodwink public opinion in the run up to elections.
Addressing a public meeting at Budhal in Rajouri district today, she said if the National Conference could not make the State self-reliant in 40 years, how Omar Abdullah seeks another term on the same promise that they could not fulfil throughout the party’s history.
Mehbooba said NC is still under a wrong impression that people of the State can be taken in by foundation stones of fake projects and tall claims of economic self-reliance. She said the party has nothing to show by way of performance and it is now resorting to gimmicks and familiar electoral tricks that it has always enacted.
Even the projects started five years ago are still incomplete.
Mebooba said, though, for their own pleasures and fancies, the rulers have no problem of money, but the pensioners, casual labours, seasonal and need based workers, are not getting their dues for months together. “These are all signs of bankruptcy, but still the Government is misleading the people by laying foundation stones of projects that are never going to be completed,” she said.
She said the three generations of Chief Ministers from the Abdullah family handed over the most feasible power projects to NHPC, without the State getting anything in return except environmental devastation, handing over of large chunks of land and dislocation of people living in the affected areas.
The power generated by our projects is illuminating the lives of people outside the State whereas the residents of J&K have been denied access to it.
She said even Omar Abdullah handed over three major projects to NHPC under the guise of joint venture. In order to deliver a final blow to the State’s financial self-reliance, the J&K Bank was deliberately prevented from funding the State Government or its projects.
The PDP president said by way of “performance”, Omar Abdullah has only few things to his credit which include the introduction of chili grenades and pellet guns to be used against the Kashmir youth, who dare to raise their voice against injustice and misrule. His (Omar’s) tenure also stands out for imposing curfew on maximum days and imprisoning political opponents in their homes. Omar Abdullah’s Government also created record of sorts by reemploying more than 400 officers and others with heavy salaries and perks.
Mehbooba said work on the genuine projects of public utility is suspended citing the lack of funds as a reason. But the Government agents in the construction business conceive and execute projects in league with Government politicians for which funds are provided under the table.
She said this Government has not spared even the selection process for entrance into the professional institutions and the recent BOPEE scandal should have been enough for the present rulers to retire from politics and hide themselves from public gaze.
Instead of doing that, the Chief Minister is claiming credit for the arrest of Mushtaq Peer and others. He (Mushtaq Peer) has been handpicked repeatedly, for various assignments by the Chief Minister himself.
“The scandal has been in the public domain since June 2012, and the police could proceed against the culprits only under the orders of the court, after they (Peer and company) enjoyed protection from political masters, for so long.
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