Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Nov 14: National Conference today lashed out at the PDP-BJP Government for completely abandoning the cause of the flood victims’ relief and rehabilitation and declared that NC would launch state-wide agitation for seeking justice for the flood hit people.
Addressing meeting of zonal heads and district presidents of the party in Kashmir today, NC general secretary and former Minister Ali Mohd Sagar said that National Conference would launch a state wide agitation at every district headquarter to demand justice for the flood victims who have now been summarily deceived and stabbed in the back by BJP and PDP Coalition.
“The Rs 44,000 crore flood relief and rehabilitation package that the previous Omar Abdullah-led Government had proposed had asked for a compensation of Rs 9 lakh for every full damaged house and had demanded compensation for traders, shopkeepers and entrepreneurs who had suffered heavy damages in the natural calamity. In the recently announced Central package which has been designed together by the PDP and the BJP, the cause of flood victims has been sidelined in the most insensitive manner. A paltry Rs 2,000 crores has now been dispensed as the final amount of relief and rehabilitation for the flood victims. We will protests against the injustice meted out to the flood victims at every district headquarters in the Valley in the coming days”, the NC general secretary added.
NC provincial president for Kashmir, Nasir Aslam Wani said the cruel joke with the flood victims was a monumental disappointment that had yet again proved PDP’s lack of empathy for the people they falsely claim to represent. “The Finance Minister and his party openly opposed the Rs 44,000 crore flood relief package proposed by the previous Government. That package would have ensured adequate compensation of Rs 9 lakhs for every damaged house and would have compensated the losses of our businessmen, traders and entrepreneurs ensuring their revival and hence giving an impetus to the State’s economy. Sadly, PDP played a very vicious role in depriving the flood victims of their rights,” Wani added.
“The statement of the State’s Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu that the funds were slashed by New Delhi arbitrarily is ridiculous and ironic given the fact that the Finance Minister had wholeheartedly welcomed the Central package after it was announced along with the Chief Minister. Why did he first welcome the package unequivocally and waited till now to blame the Central Government? His statement is also ironic given the fact that it was none other than the Finance Minister himself who sabotaged the Rs 44,000 crore flood relief package proposed by the previous Omar Abdullah-led Government. It’s pretty evident that the Finance Minister and the State Government has co-authored this cruel joke of a package with the Central Government and no amount of public posturing of helplessness and victimhood will absolve the PDP of its guilt”, Wani maintained.
The meeting was also attended by senior NC leader and Northern Zone head Mohd Akbar Lone and Party’s Central Zone head, MLC Ali Mohammad Dar.
Follow our WhatsApp channel