Partnership Under Pressure:PDP Leaders Hold Rare Meet

Will fulfil aspirations of people, strive to provide job opportunities for unemployed educated youth: Mehbooba

SRINAGAR –  The Peoples Democratic Party , which has been conspicuous by its silence  after assuming power, Wednesday came out with a public statement after holding a party convention.   

Party patron, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, described PDP as a movement for peace and reconciliation.

The Chief Minister was addressing a party convention, which was presided over by Member Parliament and PDP President, Mehbooba Mufti, here today.

Chief Minister said his decision to stitch together an alliance with BJP was to respect the mandate and build an environment to bring people in the three distinct regions of the state closer.

He said the Agenda of the Alliance of the Coalition government, reached after two months of hectic deliberations, remains the binding force that will see a new phase of equitable development in the state. “I met Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in New Delhi and discussed with him several important issues. He has assured me of Centre’s help in fast-tracking the development agenda of the Coalition government,” he stated. 

Besides senior ministers, legislators, party general secretaries and district and zonal presidents of the party attended the meeting. 

Elaborating further on his meeting with Prime Minister Modi, the Chief Minister said the Mr Modi has a vision to speed up inclusive development in the state. “The new think-tank of NITI Aayog has assured us of our share in the Central funds as per recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission Award. We will use optimal utilisation of these funds and ensure that every penny is spent,” he said, while also referring to the kitty of Rs.6000 crore allocated to J&K under the Centrally-sponsored schemes. 

Mufti Sayeed observed that all issues indicated in the Agenda of the Alliance mutually agreed to will be implemented and special focus will be given to return of Uri and Dul Hasti hydel power projects to the state.    

Highlighting J&K’s unique position as the only Muslim majority state in the country, Mufti Sayeed said the people need to safeguard the special status of J&K, which is guaranteed by the Constitution of India. He recalled with satisfaction the farsightedness of the leaders of the state who decided to accede with India. “Keeping in mind the multicultural ethos of J&K, the decision to go with India has proved to be the right one,” he observed. 

The Chief Minister also outlined his plans to broaden the scope of cross-LoC trade and travel in the state, which was started with much fanfare in 2005. He favoured opening of new trade and travel points across the Line of Control so that the biggest confidence building measure is taken beyond the ritual of meetings between divided families. “Cross-LoC trade and travel continues to be show-window for us. Our guests from PoK are amazed to see the huge strides made on this side on the development front,” he remarked.        Calling for friendly relations with all its neighbours, the Chief Minister said continued confrontation with Pakistan seriously impedes development of the state, which eventually results in people bearing  the brunt of sustained hostilities on the borders and the LoC. He also praised former Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, for his vision and conciliatory moves in improving ties with all its neighbours, including Pakistan.

Drawing the attention of party workers towards holding elections to local-self government institutions, Mufti Sayeed, who is also the Chief Patron of PDP, said he wants to make people at the grassroots’ level real partners in state’s development. “Delegation of powers to panchayats, municipalities and municipal corporations will help in optimal utilisation of financial resources and improve public delivery mechanism by involving the elected representatives,” he added. 

Asking party workers to feel the discernible change emerging on the ground, the Chief Minister said the government in its short tenure of seven months has taken several steps to provide good governance and lay base of a fair and transparent administration, which is responsive to the needs of the people. “We have improved connectivity and taken several initiatives in education, health and tourism sectors to provide succour to the people,” he added. 

Referring to the recent death of Zahid Ahmad Bhat, who had received severe burn injuries in Udhampur truck attack, Mufti Sayeed said those responsible for his death will not go unpunished under any circumstance.  He said the Cabinet in one voice condemned the dastardly act and vowed to defeat the nefarious designs of the divisive forces which are out to damage the pluralistic fabric of the state. 

Reflecting on government formation, the Chief Minister said a lot of thought went into the decision to form government with BJP, which had won a massive mandate of the people in the parliamentary elections and Assembly polls in Jammu region. “The interests of people was paramount when we were framing the broad contours of the alliance, which took us two months,” he added.

The Chief Minister credited the Party President for keeping the party together and sharing the grief of people in distress. He said PDP is a young party on which lot of people have pinned their hopes and expectations in delivering a fair and transparent government.    

Congratulating the new office-bearers of the party, Mehbooba said PDP doesn’t crave for power but has a much larger goal to achieve, which gives people a sense of empowerment and ownership of the state. She said the government will complete its term and fulfil all demands of the people, with special focus on providing job opportunities to educated unemployed youth. “The Ministers will have to play a proactive role as Chairmen of their respective District Development Boards so that government’s promise of good and speedy governance is delivered right at the doorsteps of the people,” she added.

Referring to the Udhampur incident that consumed life of an innocent young boy, the PDP President said the government doesn’t believe in mere lip service but affirmative action, which saw PSA slapped and investigation for murder charges initiated against those who have been accused of committing such a heinous crime.

Also present were Ministers, A. R. Veeri, Javed Mustafa Mir, Syed Basharat Bukhari, Abdul Haq Khan, Ghulam Nabi Lone, Dr. Haseeb A. Drabu, Syed Altaf Bukhari, Naeem Akhtar, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, Aisea Naqash and Abdul Majeed Padder, Legislators, Party General Secretaries, Nizam-ud-din Bhat and Rafi Ahmad Mir and Political Advisor to PDP President, Peerzada Mansoor, besides all District and Zonal presidents.

Dissent within PDP grows 2 MP’s Stay away

Two MPs who are vocal critic of alliance with the BJP, skipped the party meet held at the official residence of chief minister.

Tariq Hameed Karra, MP from Srinagar and Muzaffar Hussain Baig, MP from Baramulla skipped the meeting for some unknown reasons.

Though both the party leaders weren’t immediately available for comments, but the party sources said that the MPs known for making critical statements are unhappy with their colleagues who are managing the coalition government. 

In a late night statement Karra said that the party should snap its ties with the BJP in the state if “it wants to protect the people of Kashmir”.

“The RSS-BJP has unleashed terror across the country. And in Jammu and Kashmir the rabid Hindutva elements have also not spared Muslims. They attacked two Kashmiri drivers in Udhampur in which a youth was killed. Such incidents clearly indicate that Kashmiris are no longer safe under the present alliance. If PDP leadership wants to protect people of Kashmir from the terror of RSS-BJP, then the leaders have to revisit its decision and snap ties with the BJP,” Karra said.

Citing examples of Dadri lynching of a Muslim man by a Hindu mob, attack on the Kashmiri drivers, statement of Haryana Chief Minister against Muslims, lynching of bovine trader in Himachal Pradesh and rabid statements of Sakshi Maharaj, Karra said that communal forces have gained strength after the BJP came to power.

Karra said that assessing the PDP-BJP coalition’s six-month performance, it completely looks anti-Kashmir and against the PDP’s core agenda.

“What RSS could not do in India in sixty years, they have achieved that in Kashmir in just 6 months. A legislator was roughed by BJP in legislature. So how could a common man feel safe in Kashmir under the rabid elements that have the patronage of BJP and RSS,” he said.

“So, time has come up for the leadership to think their alliance with the communal forces. The alliance will also prove very detrimental for the party. Our workers tell us that they cannot face the people more if the alliance continues for more time,” he said.

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