Gool (Ramban): President Peoples Democratic Party Mehbooba Mufti Saturday said that PDP is the only party contesting elections with specific agenda, vision and roadmap for development, prosperity, economic stability and peace.
“Unlike other parties, PDP has presented before the public its state specific election manifesto elaborating the roadmap and vision, the party has for the state and its people”, Mehbooba said, while addressing a largely attended public meeting here in support of party candidate for Doda-Udhampur parliamentary constituency Arshad Malik.
Elaborating further, she said that the political parties in the state and across country were either having personality specific agenda or their own vested interests unlike PDP, for which reaching to Parliament is another effort to resolve the long pending issues of state and its people.
“Bhartiya Janta Party, which is yet to release its manifesto, has a personality specific agenda with all its focus on Narendera Modi. On the other hand the Congress is also contesting the polls just to stop the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate”, Mehbooba said adding, “The National Conference on the other hand is contesting elections in Jammu and Kashmir in order to ensure ministerial berth either for Omar Abdullah or his father Dr Farooq Abdullah in New Delhi”.
The PDP president, who is also party candidate for Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency, said that the foundation stone of the party itself was laid on specific agenda of peace, development and prosperity and to end decades old hegemony of a single family which sold out the state resources for its own interest and compromised to stay in power.
“Peoples’ Democratic Party was formulated with the aim of restoring the trust and confidence of people on the political and democratic system in Jammu and Kashmir”, she said adding that with its policies and programmes the party was able to restore that confidence on the democratic institutions, which were strengthened to bring transparency and accountability. “However, over the last more than five years the National Conference-Congress alliance has once again eroded the sanctity of such institutions leading to a chaos and political instability in state”.
“Even when PDP entered into an alliance with Congress it formulated and ensured implementation of the road map in the form of Common Minimum Programme”, she said.
Coming down heavily upon the ruling dispensation, the PDP president said that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has not only failed his party and people but himself as well. “The repeated rhetoric by the government over AFSPA, Pathribal fake encounter, Afzal Guru’s hanging and several others similar issues have only exposed the disgrace Omar Abdullah has brought to the post of Chief Ministership in Jammu and Kashmir”, she said adding, “Unable to take a firm stand and decision he has been knocking doors of New Delhi for even the matters, which completely fall under the administrative powers of the state government.
She said that the people of Chenab Valley, comprising Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban district, were worst sufferers at the hands of NC and Congress. She said that first it was NC, which exploited the people and then the Congress compromised with the interest and aspirations of the people of this far off areas.
“Even despite being rich in natural resources the people of these far off areas are still struggling for basic amenities including schools, health care, roads, water and electricity”, she said adding that two prestigious hydel projects were functional in the region but it has only brought disaster for the people.
“Today people here are living in constant threat as it is a general belief that the hydel projects have instead of benefitting people brought miseries for the common masses in view of the increasing land slides, earthquakes, sinking of land and similar other situations”, she said adding, “The government on the other hand is yet to come out of its slumber and ensure preventive measures”.
She urged the people to vote in favour of PDP candidate Arshad Malik to ensure that their problems are discussed and resolved in the highest democratic institution of country.
Addressing the gathering party candidate Arshad Malik, highlighted various issues and problems being confronted by the people of Chenab Valley. He said that people were living in backwardness, poverty and alienation due to the mockery and mis-governance of NC, Congress alliance.
Others who addressed the public meeting included Imtiyaz Shan, Abdul Ahad Wani, Distt President, Shahbaz Mirza, Youth District President, Muhammad Yusuf Magray and Javaid Shan.