A delegation of National Conference comprising Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Nasir Aslam Wani, and Javed Ahmad Dar, called on N.N. Vohra, Governor, here at the Raj Bhavan today.The delegation conveyed to the Governor about their Party’s serious concerns about the obtaining law and order situation in the Valley, particularly in North Kashmir. They also complained about discrimination in the withdrawal of personal security from members of their Party’s cadres.In a statement to KNS a spokesman of the NC said the delegation while questioning the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's and the State Government’s conspicuous silence on the targeted killing of civilians in Sopore, apprised the Governor that the mysterious phenomenon of these killings coincided with the Defence Minister’s remarks that hinted at re-inventing counter-insurgents in J&K.
“The delegation also termed the recently announced flood relief package as a cruel joke with the flood victims and said the only component that related to the flood victims is the cruel joke of a mere 551 crores that have been announced for the entire 73,000 completely damaged, severely damaged and partially damaged houses – while the remaining components of the paltry flood relief package were imaginative attempt to brand routine, non-emergency central funding as flood relief – which amounts to misleading the public. The delegation expressed disappointment that there was absolutely nothing in the paltry Flood Relief Package for the business and traders community, for thousands of affected entrepreneurs, artisans and shopkeepers,” he said.The NC delegation also expressed disappointment over the PDP-BJP Coalition Government’s ‘brazen U-turn’ on the issue of return of power projects to J&K. Referring to the official remarks of the Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal, the NC delegation expressed amusement at how a promise made in the Common Minimum Program between the two ruling parties had been broken such effortlessly in the presence of the State’s Power Minister and Finance Minister – who pertinently chose to remain silent and not raise the issue of the return of power projects.
On Sopore killings:
The National Conference delegation raised the issue of the spate of targeted killings of civilians in Sopore and noted that these killings had started only after a wayward, unacceptable remark by the Union Defense Minister that hinted at the re-invention of Ikhwani Rule in J&K. Highlighting the State Government’s and Chief Minister’s refusal to condemn the Union Defense Minister’s statement, the National Conference delegation termed the Chief Minister’s and the State Government’s silence on the spate of killings as conspicuous and mischievous. The NC delegation apprised the Governor of the precarious situation in Sopore and other areas of North Kashmir and said that traders, shopkeepers, orchardists and farmers had shut themselves in their homes because of the palpable wave of fear and apprehension that has gripped the area. The party delegation also conveyed to the Hon’ble Governor that the State Government’s inaction after the first targeted killing in Sopore compounded the situation and gave a free-hand to the culprits.
“Till now the Administration and the Police seem to be completely callous and clueless about the spate of killings in Sopore. The Chief Minister, who is also the Home Minister of the State and head the Unified Command has chosen to remain silent till now – which is highly unfortunate. The families of the victims who have been killed have been left without any answers and the entire region has been gripped by fear and apprehension. National Conference is disappointed with the State’ Government’s refusal to condemn the Union Defense Minister’s remarks and also by its silence while the targeted civilian killings continued. We request the Hon’ble Governor to ensure the safety of the people of the State and direct the Administration and the State Police to unearth this dangerous phenomenon and bring the culprits to book”, the NC delegation stated in its meeting with the Hon’ble Governor.
On paltry Flood Relief Package:
The National Conference delegation expressed shock and dismay at the paltry Flood Relief Package that has been announced by the Central Government and apprised the Hon’ble Governor of the miseries of more than one million people who had been affected by the September Floods. The party delegation said the Flood Relief Package announced by the Central Government was a cruel joke with the flood victims who had been pushed into elections with the promise of dignified and adequate relief and rehabilitation. The NC delegation expressed disappointment that the paltry Flood Relief Package had nothing beyond an unbelievably inadequate amount of 551 crores for the entire pool of completely damaged, severely damaged and partially damaged kuccha houses while there was absolutely nothing for the more than hundred thousand completely damaged and severely damaged pucca houses in the State.
The fact that there was absolutely no mention of the business and traders community, of shopkeepers, struggling entrepreneurs and artisans was a clear indication of the PDP-BJP Government’s ruthless insensitivity towards the flood victims, the NC delegation apprised the Governor.“This is a clear attempt to yet again humiliate the flood victims. After being handed out cheques worth 37 and 47 rupees, the Central Government has now added further insult to injury by authoring a cruel joke with the flood victims in the guise of a Flood Relief Package. The 44,000 crore flood relief package proposed by the State Government was a result of elaborate and accurate assessment of the damages caused by the floods and we demand that the Central Government either accepts or formally and finally rejects that proposal. For the Government to expect that the flood victims can wait till an eternity and to poke fun at them at regular intervals is tragic and unacceptable”, the party delegation conveyed to the Hon’ble Governor.
On Return of Power Projects:
The National Conference high-level delegation during a meeting with the Hon’ble Governor expressed disappointment over the PDP-BJP Coalition Government’s brazen U-turn on the promise of ensuring the return of power projects to the State from NHPC. Referring to the recent official remarks of the Union Power Minister, Piyush Goyal during his visit to the State, the party delegation said the Union Power Minister’s statements had exposed PDP’s lies and made it very clear that the “Agenda of the Alliance” between the two parties was a mere piece of paper that was used a fig-leaf to justify an unjustifiable ideological sell-out.“The State Government has chosen to remain completely silent about the Union Power Minister’s announcement that the Center won’t be returning the power projects to J&K. The State’s Power Minister and the State’s Finance Minister chose to be mute spectators as the prospects of seeking the return of these power projects were dashed by no less an authority but the Union Power Minister himself. The PDP-BJP ‘Agenda of the Alliance’ clearly mentions that both parties had agreed to work out the modalities for the transfer of the power projects to J&K – but as with other promises made in the document – the return of power projects now seems to be a distant dream given how both PDP and BJP had negated the demand. National Conference condemns this approach by the Central Government and we reiterate our demand for the return of power projects to J&K – a pre-requisite for economic growth, economic independence and prosperity in the State”, the party delegation conveyed to the Hon’ble Governor.