“Peace process will not be deferred due to Mumdai attacks” Mufti,

 Welcomes Indo-Pak PM’s Statements

Saahil Suhail 

Anantnag, July 16: While strongly condemning Mumbai attacks PDP Patron and former Chief Minister Jammu and Kashmir State, Mufti Mohd Sayeed on Saturday while addressing a large gathering of its party workers at Srigufwara Bijbehara said that the Mumbai attacks will not holdup the ongoing peace process between India and Pakistan as per the statements of both Indo-Pak PM’s, started earlier for the solution of Kashmir issue.

He said, “I solute Prime Minister of India as well as Pakistan for their statements about Kashmir issue released after Mumbai attacks that took place before few days, in which both of them have said that the peace process will not be delayed due to Mumbai attacks.” adding that the PDP strongly condemns Mumbai attacks.   

 While criticizing NC-Led government Mufti said the government has virtually abandoned its duty towards the people of the state. He said it was not only the constituencies represented by opposition that the government was victimizing in respect of development but the governance crisis was taking a toll in all areas and regions. All major projects and schemes started by the previous coalition government had been shelved or become a victim of inefficiency, red tape and corruption, he said

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Mufti said the government had been unable to continue the momentum of development started in 2003. Major interventions like the Prime Minister's package and ADB funding had gone into problems as a result of casual approach of rulers. He said power was considered not a responsibility but only a source of comfort and luxury by the leaders of present government.

Referring to the path breaking connectivity plan that the PDP led government had launched to connect different regions and upgrade existing road links Mufti said nothing was done to carry it forward. “This government considers patch work and blacktopping of small streches of roads as the ultimate infrastructure development and makes lot of noise about the same”, he said and pointed out that the modern concepts of development to boost economic activity were unknown to the present dispensation. While in the villages the schemes like MNREGA were being misused to fill the pockets of politicians and their favourites in urban areas the massive schemes like JNURM were implemented at a snail’s pace.

Mufti said all the large and small towns and cities could have been transformed with provision of sewerage, drainage and other civic amenities if the state government had been able to tap the unlimited resources available under JNURM. But, he regretted that the state had not been able even to submit projects properly to the central government. He said similarly the infrastructure building in tourism sector that had been started on a mjor scale has almost completely stopped. He said rural tourism schemes that were started after 2003 could have generated thousands of jobs for unemployed but the inefficiency of the state government has resulted in total breakdown of that scheme.

Underlining the fact that there was a lack of political direction at the top level of the government Mufti said every body seems to be interested in local matters and personal comforts only without taking an overview of how the state should develop in an era of competition and high expectations. While the government gives publicity to the funds received from government of India as a great achievement, its effect on the ground is totally invisible. The unemployment is rising at an alarming rate and the government response is restricted to appointment of a few favourites through backdoor. Nepotism and corruption in appointments and recruitment which were almost finished by my government are back as a norm, he regretted.

Mufti said there was nothing wrong with the administration or government employees most of whom are dedicated, efficient and honest. “We had been able to perform much better with the same administration produced visible results but the present government has failed to tap this important human resources in an appropriate manner”, he said and added that the present collapse was a result of the inability of political leadrtship to give a direction to administration and ensure accountability and transparency.

He said it was not understandable as to why bills issued by various departments should be pending in treasuries for even a single day if the budget provides for such funds. it is only because of increasing levels of cuts and commissions that has been almost institutionalized. This he said was understandable as the government had failed to make appointments to State Accountability Commission (SAC) and State Information Commission (SIC) for three years and had made vigilance organisation almost defunct.

Mufti said government was trying to substitute every sector of governance with policing.No voices of dissent were allowed and even if government government employees, teachers or students raised genuine issues the government responded through police action.

He said it was unpardonable for any government to let the educational career of students suffer for want of adequate teaching facilities. While the government is indulging in propaganda about opening more colleges and ITIs the fact is that even those institutions which were established many years back are still without the required staff and facilities. Continued unrest among the contractual lecturers had caused immense damage to the educational sector and government’s failure to respond to it could have disastrous impact on the career of the students even as it failed to appreciate genuine problems of these highly talented teachers who represent best of the society.

Gathering was also addressed by MLA Bijbehara, Ab Rehman Veeri , Rafiq Hussain Khan MLA, Mohd Rafi Mir MLA, Gh Nabi Lone Hanjura , Mufti Mohd Amin, Zone President Ab Salam Tantrey