SRINGAR: Asking people to give her government a chance to restore peace, J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday said she won’t let people down.
She said the ongoing uprising has weakened her position in New Delhi “otherwise I had planned to press the Government of India on initiating a dialogue and taking measures for resolution of issues.”
Speaking at inaugural function of a special sanitation week here, she said: “They (members of all-party parliamentary delegation) reached at their doors. The atmosphere was not conducive, so nobody could talk. Otherwise, I had also extended invitations to all of them.”
“Stones, pellets and bombs would yield nothing,” she said. “We witnessed 2008, 2010 and 2016 unrests. What have we achieved? Nothing but confusion and chaos. I think of a street vendor who came to me seeking permission to sell goods on a pavement. What would he be doing today? How would he be feeding his family.”
“When I won elections, I was determined to press New Delhi to initiate dialogue and fulfil the economic and political aspirations of people of J&K. (But) the 2016 unrest weakened my position in Delhi. When there are stones and bullets, who would Delhi talk to?”
She said her government has been “working for the welfare of people.”
“Despite the unrest, you are a witness to the fact that government supplied electricity, water and ration to the people. You yourself closed schools and shops, how could I have helped you out,” she said.
“Give me a conducive atmosphere and I promise to open all dialogue channels with everyone. Help me in restoring peace in Kashmir and I promise I will not let you down. I promise to fulfill your all economic and political aspirations,” she told the people.
“During the unrest, well-off people sent their children to New Delhi and those who could afford less have sent their wards to Jammu. It is only children of poor who have suffered in this unrest,” she said.
She said the biggest tribute to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi would be “if we could stop violence and initiate dialogue to resolve issues through negotiations.”
She directed officials to take action under law against all those who have encroached the portions of Dal Lake. “First dismantle the illegal structures of influential persons and then proceed against poor,” she directed them.
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