Kashmiris feeling vulnerable in absence of elected Govt: Farooq

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 22: Alleging that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are feeling vulnerable in absence of an elected Government, National Conference (NC) President Farooq Abdullah said the need of the hour is to give a combined response to the challenges the state is facing, particularly on its identity front.
Addressing workers and party functionaries here at party headquarters, Dr Abdullah, who is Member of Parliament (MP) from Srinagar, said the Kashmiris are feeling alienated in their own land in wake of the absence of any popular Government in the state.
“Today Muslims living across the world are subjected to the nefarious machinations of those who have vested interests in a divided Muslim world. The fate of Muslims in the state is no different; it is at the peril due to the onslaught of such powers which are hell-bent to obliterate the Muslim Majority character of our state. The very pluralistic visage of our state has traditionally been scorn in the eyes of those people as they are hell-bent to destroy it. The people of the state are feeling the vulnerable absence of a democratically elected representative Government. It is high time for the Government at the Centre to give the people of the state the opportunity to elect a Government which can further the cause of development in the state,” he alleged.
He said the alleged iron-fist policy of the incumbent administration has added to the insecurities of Muslims living in the state. “The plight of the Muslims in the state is no less miserable than their counterparts living across the country. It seems that the large population of Muslims in the state and the country is being deliberately kept out of the development agenda. However, the idea of a developed India cannot be achieved if the minorities are left out,” he added.
Dr Abdullah said people of the state have been disenfranchised from their constitutional right of having a representative Government in place, “The utter failure of the former PDP-BJP Government on every conceivable matrix in the state has already disenchanted people towards democracy. The politically motivated jibes against politicians emanating from the Governor’s office are adding to the disenchantment among youths towards the democratic process. The need of the hour calls for restoring a popular Government in the state that has been limping towards the full realization of democracy in wake of the persistent tumultuous situation and a long spell of Governor’s rule,” he alleged.
“It is unfortunate to see the penchant of the incumbent Governor for political muddle. Our party has given immense sacrifices to further the cause of democracy in the state; we have lost scores of our workers, functionaries in this connection. The people of the state are fed up of the development deficit plaguing the state. A laid back oligarchy cannot replace the vital and vibrant role of the elected legislature and representative cabinet,” he added.

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