NC, Cong Stoking Communal Feelings In Zanskar: PDP

Srinagar – Expressing relief at the strong desire of the Muslim and the Budhist community of Zanaskar to restore their traditional bonds of amity and brotherhood the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has said the onus on maintenance of law and order and providing protection to the citizens rests with the government.

In a statement issued at the end of her visit to the troubled Zanaskar sub division she said it seems the coalition partners NC and Congress are stoking the fires of communalism in the region to promote their partisan interests which unfortunately are linked to their persuit of narrow and unprincipled politics.

Mehbooba reached Kargil today after her over night stay at Padum, the headquarters of Zanaskar sub division. She was accompanied by a team comprising senior leaders Qazi Mohammed Afzal, Nizamuddin Bhat MLA,  Adv Gh Murtaza and Tashi Gyalson. The team held many rounds of discussions with the representatives of both communities. They also visited the victims of rioting and inspected the houses damaged as a result of violence.

Mehbooba Mufti discussed with the representatives of the local civil society the humanitarian crisis that has been caused due to sheer negligence and instances of biased conduct by the administration. The team felt that the government had almost withdrawn from the area and had left the people to their own fate. They were told that the official delegation which landed there nearly one month after the initial trouble spent less than an hour at padum and did not even visit the victims of violence. They did not inspect the houses that have been damaged in the unfortunate incidents.

The team was informed that the government had announced a paltry Rupees three lacs ( Rs- 3 lac) as relief to more than two dozen families who have suffered extensive damage to their homes and property. The houses  had been ransacked in which the victims suffered loss of the household goods as well.

Mehbooba demanded adequate compensation to the victims and their complete rehabilitation by the government. She said some of the victims lived in extremely bad conditions and in absence of any help from the government it seemed they were being further victimized. She said a few families had been disinherited of their ancestral property and the matter had been taken to civil court in far off Kargil. It was a fit case for the government to provide them free legal assistance and even to intervene through community efforts to sort out the matter amicably out of court.

During its interaction with various groups the team got an impression that the people of the area feared interference by vested interests from out side Zanaskar. They felt that the ruling NC and congress are trying to sharpen the communal polarization in pursuit of their political ends. The NC it may be recalled had originally contributed to communalization of politics in the region about a quarter century back and has been reaping its dividends ever since even though it has caused immense problems to different sections of society there.

Mehbooba said given the strong desire of the people of both communities in Zanskar to restore peace and live amicably it was for the government to ensure that no outside elements were able to stoke fire of discord any more. She said the administration in the area has to be toned up and the officials made aware of their responsibilities in ensuring the safety of life and property of people there. But, she said this can be achieved only if the ruling politicians rise above their political interests and help the people to rediscover peace and amity.

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