The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday accused the Central Government of “creating and fostering new fault lines between the people of Jammu and Kashmir”.
Immediately after chairing a meeting of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of the party, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti observed that New Delhi was resorting to ‘naked communalism’ and pitting people against each other on the basis of religion, cast, sect and ethnicity. They were the only tools of the BJP to cover up its failure in governance. Hence divisive policies were gaining fresh ground and promoted unabashedly.
A PDP spokesman said the PAC meeting noted that New Delhi was further dividing J&K people “to accomplish the agenda of complete disempowerment of people.” The party wanted people to collectively rise in unison to defeat such plans.
The meeting also highlighted that apart from being robbed of their constitutional and democratic rights, people were slowly witnessing the catastrophic ramifications of the BJP- RSS plans in sectors such as business, employment, right to natural resources etc., the spokesman alleged.
“The abject failure of the BJP government has given J&K the dubious distinction of having the highest unemployment rate in the country,” the PDP claimed.
Party chief spokesperson Syed Suhail Bukhari asserted that the PAC would redouble its efforts to fight the designs of dividing and disempowering the J&K people and would give voice to the concerns and aspirations of all the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. He sought the immediate release of all political prisoners and speedy and impartial investigation into cases of recent civilian killings.
Mehbooba’s charge
Earlier in the day, Ms. Mufti alleged that she was disallowed to meet the family of a civilian, who was killed in a “crossfire” on October 25 in south Kashmir.
“When anyone is being killed by the militants, they (politicians) are being allowed to meet the slain family. It's unfortunate that whenever anyone is being killed in the forces’ action, no one is being allowed to meet the bereaved family,” she remarked.
The former Chief Minister had desired to meet the family of Anantnag’s Shahid Aijaz, who was killed in a firing incident at Babapora area of Shopian near a CRPF camp. According to the police, he died in the crossfire between militants and security personnel.
However, his family contested the police version.
“The Lieutenant Governor’s administration should take steps to provide compensation to the family of Shahid. The victim’s kin must be given a job as well,” Ms. Mufti stated.
The police, so far, have not issued any statement on her claim.
