SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti Monday said there is no denying the fact that post 1990 turmoil has cost the state dearly in terms of human and economic lost, but National Conference (NC) has no moral authority to use it as a shield for hiding its failures and sell-outs.
Mehbooba while addressing workers meeting at Dangerpora in Sopore constituency, said it was primarily because of the rigging resorted to by the NC-led coalition in 1987 that forced the youth of Jammu and Kashmir to pickup guns for securing their rights. She said this has been acknowledged even by the top militant leaders like Syed Salah-u- Din, who himself was a candidate in the assembly elections, but was defeated through brazen rigging.
The PDP president said in order to hide his failures on all fronts, the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah is inventing an alibi everyday and has now shifted the blame for corruption and mis-governance to militancy, even though in 2009, he himself acknowledged that the state was now peaceful and ready for progress. But at the end of his tenure now, he has nothing to show by way of his performance, but corruption, power crisis, mis-governance, nepotism, backdoor appointments, drug scam, examination scandal, BOPEE scam and cricket scam etc. stand out his (Abdullahs) major achievements.
Mehbooba accused that NC has been intolerant of democracy and dissent ever since its inception. She said whenever NC was at the helm of affairs; they sort to rig the elections from 1952 itself that was one major reason why the people of the state dont have the same faith in democratic process as in other parts of the country.
Mehbooba said the present government has lived up to the history of NC in treating the democratic right of dissent with contempt and repression. She said the youth have to face the brunt of this intolerance, which resulted into the death of hundreds of them during the last five years, while thousands have been involved in police cases, just because they agitated against the atrocities and excesses.
Mehbooba said Sopore area has been victimized by the present government and no explanation by the Chief Minister can compensate for his governments inability to address serious development deficiencies in the town and its adjoining villages. She said the government has only been able to strength the police presence in the area and given it more police stations rather than upgrading health facilities.
Similarly, the bridge on the Sopore bypass is awaiting completion for about two decades, where as foundation stones for new projects are being laid to mislead the people on the eve of elections. She said Sopore town is facing massive traffic congestion, as a result of incompletion of Tulibal Bridge and the fruit export is also suffering huge losses as a result.
Mehbooba said a change in the life of the people and future of the state can usher in only if people vote on the basis of performance of PDP during its brief tenure in power and latter in opposition.
There is no reason for gloom or despondency if we use our democratic rights with wisdom and give a chance to PDP to carry forward its unfinished agenda of political resolution and economic development with focus on creating job opportunities for the youth, she said.
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