Srinagar: As the Omar Abdullah-led coalition government is nearing end of its tenure, the war of nerves between the ruling National Conference and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party is growing fiercer by the day. A day after PDP’s Member of Parliament Tariq Hamid Karra deplored the discrimination with Kashmiri regions under Omar Abdullah’s rule, National Conference came out with hard hitting allegations against Karra, a sitting MP who has defeated NC patriarch Farooq Abdullah.
Mustafa Kamal, the NC’s quasi separatist voice, Monday sought PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti’s intervention to clarify Karra’s alleged involvement in land grab and use of violent means to usurp land resources that belong to the people with no political influence at his Shivpora neighborhood.
“The attempts to harass, hound and terrorize the people of Shivpora through musclemen and land-sharks is shocking and shameful, especially given that Karra is a sitting Member of Parliament and has been found involved in behavior that is unbecoming of a representative in the highest house of democracy,” a statement quoting Kamal said. National Conference has also sought a clarification from both PDP’s Patron Mufti Sayeed and President Mehbooba Mufti on this issue “given that there are allegations that Karra might have the support of his party in his efforts to grab land worth crores in Srinagar.”
The party handout claimed that a delegation of “victims” from Shivpora had called on Mustafa Kamal, NC’s Additional General Secretary, to apprise him about frequent attempts at intimidation and harassment by muscle-men allegedly hired by PDP Member of Parliament Tariq Hameed Karra. The families, according to a statement issued by NC spokesman Junait Mattu, apprised Kamal of Karra’s illegal occupation of not only custodian land but also land belonging to these families for decades.
Another family, the statement added, described how Karra’s men had allegedly gone to the extent of stealing stones that were unloaded on their land for construction. “All of this is being done in Shivpora to harass and hence arm-twist the local poor families to vacate their land or negotiate dismal, unjust deals with Karra under duress and coercion,” the statement said.
“The Government, especially the Custodian Department and the Police should act effectively and transparently to prevent Karra from harassing poor local families who are being threatened of being rendered homeless. Such cruelty and lust for property by hook or crook is shameful and Karra should be held accountable”, Kamal said during his interaction with the affected families, according to the party statement.
Quoting the delegation, without identifying anybody, the statement said, the delegation also informed Kamal that a senior PDP leader along with members of Karra’s family had visited the Custodian Department’s Office and threatened the officers of dire consequences if they continued to create hurdles in their way.
“Is this PDP’s ‘Change’? From brazenly giving mandate in the historic and central city of Srinagar to a rice-bag thief to promoting known car thieves in the party, PDP has stooped low yet again by patronizing the harassment of poor local families in Shivpora so that their leader and MP could own unearned, un-inherited property worth millions out of nowhere. Karra has no legal right to occupy hundreds of Kanals of land that are under his illegal occupation”, Kamal said .
The party has also sought an inquiry into Karra’s attempts to influence the case during his tenure as the Finance Minister. “There is every possibility that Karra must have used his influence in violation of norms in occupying the said land during his tenure as the Finance Minister. Karra’s involvement in corruption is no secret, given his indictment in the Kundal Committee report that highlighted brazen misappropriation, embezzlement and violation of norms during Karra’s tenure as the Finance Minister. We seek an effective and time-bound probe into Karra’s dealings and his alleged nexus with land-grabbing mafia in Srinagar”, the party statement quoted Kamal as said.
Pertinently, Tariq Karra has pointed to a growing unease due to stark discrimination with Kashmiris. The PDP MP on Sunday issued a well tabulated statement, which highlighted an array of discrimination with Kashmiris.
“Out of 8475 posts of contractual teachers, 5396 are for Jammu region, 2960 for Kashmir and 119 for Ladakh. 1300 contractual teacher posts have been advertised for Jammu district and just 80 posts for district Srinagar. Under Central Road Fund (CRF) while Jammu has got a whopping Rs 208. 81 Crore during the last 3 years, Kashmir has got just Rs 79 crore. Under the 10th phase of PMGSY Jammu has got Rs 2531.58 crore whereas Kashmir has been given just Rs 1554.12 crore. Out of 659 administrative units cleared by the Cabinet in February this year, 337 went to Jammu, 274 to Kashmir and 48 to Ladakh. Out of the 38 villages recently approved for inclusion in backward list, 30 are in Jammu and only 8 in Kashmir. Recently 34 ventilators were installed in district and sub-district hospitals of Jammu region while the number is only 16 in Kashmir,” Tariq Karra said on Sunday.
Given the limitations of agenda setting for mainstream groups, Tariq’s discrimination bogey is set to appeal to the most sensitive Muslim sentiment in Kashmir as well as in Jammu’s Muslim dominated areas. Whether the ruling National Conference feels threatened by Karra’s pro-Muslim posturing or is genuinely concerned about the alleged hanky-panky by Karra is a question which only an impartial probe can answer.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
ACT NOW |
MONTHLY | Rs 100 | |
YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |