National Conference on Monday assailed PDP-BJP Government in Jammu and Kashmir for precipitating situation in the Valley due to its lack of political vision, which has not only caused avoidable deaths but also brought life to standstill across the state.
“The prolonged spell of uncertainty and deaths of civilians is a cause of worry that needs to be ended”, senior National Conference leaders said in a joint statement, adding that the Prime Minister must take a bold initiative in addressing all dimension of the problem.
Signatories to the joint statement included State Vice President Mr Rattan Lal Gupta, State Secretary Th Rachpal Singh and Provincial Secretaries Sheikh Bashir Ahmed and Mr Pradeep Bali.
They said that perpetual failure in appreciating the sensitivities and addressing the problems by showing high degree of political will and maturity can have serious ramifications in a diverse state like Jammu and Kashmir, which has all along stood like a shining example of tranquillity and amity. “The Prime Minister must come with a bold initiative and address all dimensions of the problem forthwith so that peace and normalcy is restored in Kashmir”, they added.
The senior NC leaders said that due to dicey situation in the Valley, the entire state is suffering as the government appears to have gone on a long leave. They in particular referred to governance deficit, leading to erratic utility services like power, drinking water and supply of rations, saying the development had already taken a rear seat. “The insensitive government has failed on all fronts and its visibility on ground is to be nowhere seen”, they added.
“By pursuing wrong policies, the PDP-BJP dispensation has negated the peaceful environment generated and sustained by the previous National Conference led government despite many odds”, the senior leaders said and cautioned the coalition government against working at cross purposes. In this context, they referred to contradictory positions being taken by the coalition ministers over media gag and said the people wonder as to who was really at command. “In this dispensation, right hand does not know as what left hand is doing”, they said, adding that this has led to a chaotic situation which if not tackled timely could snowball into a big disaster. They said the anti-people government has lost its credibility and mass base.
Supporting the demands putforth by the high level National Conference delegation to Union Home Minister in Srinagar, the senior party leaders called for immediate discontinuation of pellet bullets that have caused blindness and physical disability to a number of youth besides excessive use of force against the protesters. They also sought dialogue with all stake holders, which they described as imperative for restoration of peace and normalcy in the Valley.