Anantnag, April 28 – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today sought a clear mandate for PDP to carry forward its agenda for restoring and safeguarding the political, social and economic identity of Jammu & Kashmir.
Addressing a massive public meeting on the last leg of campaigning in Anantnag today, Sayeed expressed confidence that the voters would endorse his policies in greater numbers this time empowering PDP as their voice in the parliament. “PDP had to some extent restored the sanctity of democratic values in the State but it would need a clearer mandate to represent the just concerns and aspirations of the people of Jammu & Kashmir,” he said.
Reiterating his resolve to fight for the rights of the State that had been systematically surrendered by the National Conference (NC) leadership in pursuit of power, Mufti said PDP would pursue it at all forums, on the streets, in the Assembly and in the Parliament. “NC had sold the very soul of the State by gifting water resources to the NHPC, which generated billions from it and Jammu & Kashmir having steeped into perpetual darkness as a result”, he said.
Mufti said Omar Abdullah had gone a step ahead of his father in handing over the fully operational Baghlihar power project to NHPC within the first two months of assuming office. He said earlier Dr Farooq Abdullah had gifted seven power projects to NHPC in 2000 to please his BJP friends in NDA Government. But, PDP, he cautioned would not remain a silent spectator and would launch a people’s movement against the sell out of the State’s resources.
PDP patron said NC through all its accords right from the Delhi Agreement of 1952 had only surrendered the rights of the State and got nothing in return for the people except power and luxuries to build personal fortunes. He said the much touted generational association from Jawaharlal Nehru and Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah had always been used by the NC as a license to exploit Kashmiri sentiment and the State’s resources to keep
“Where had the generational bond gone when Farooq Abdullah tried his best to prevent Prof Saifuddin Soz from voting against Vajpayee government?” he asked and wondered how NC leaders are now sharing the dais with him after having expelled him from their party for toppling the BJP Government at the center. “It is, in fact never too difficult for NC to make any compromises as long as one or the other member of Abdullah family is in the employment of New Delhi”, he said and added that on the contrary despite being in UPA alliance for five years PDP never hankered after any position in the union cabinet.
Mufti said PDP had become a thorn in the side of NC as it had emerged as the only credible option for the people of the State. He said having suffered for generations at the hands of NC’s unchallenged domination, the people had endorsed PDP policies after judging it by its performance during the three year brief rule from 2002 to 2005. “That is why Omar Abdullah had unleashed RSS type propaganda against the party”, he said and made it clear that PDP would under no circumstances compromise on its principles or the mandate of people. He said Omar Abdullah’s invented accusations were in line with the lessons he received during the decade long on-the-job training with the RSS and BJP. “Having failed to deliver on governance front, Omar Abdullah is now making malevolent disparages against PDP to divert attention from his non-functioning government,” he said.
Reiterating the urgency for revocation of AFSPA, the PDP patron said the crucial decision cannot wait any longer. He said deployment of Security Forces for internal security too had to be reduced without further delay as the civil society and civilian Government must get full liberty to operate as anywhere else in a democratic set up is entitled to.
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