Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 13: National Conference today condemned the loss of lives in Handwara and Kupwara and said it stands in solidarity with the bereaved families of the slain youth.
In a joint statement issued here National Conference general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar, Party vice president Chaudhary Mohammad Ramzan, chief spokesperson Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani, senior leader Mir Saifullah and MLC Qaiser Jamsheed Lone extended their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families on behalf of the party leadership and prayed for peace to the departed souls.
Lashing out at Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for abdicating her responsibilities during such a grave situation, NC leaders said that Mehbooba Mufti chose her own political and personal PR in New Delhi, leaving the State Government directionless and rudderless while four innocent lives have already been lost in the last two days.
“Rather than immediately flying back to Srinagar to take stock of the situation and prevent any further loss of lives, Mehbooba Mufti’s decision to continue remaining in New Delhi to meet Central BJP leaders is another sad reminder of her misplaced and self-seeking priorities and those of her party. Ms Mufti is more interested in guarding her own chair rather bestowed on her by the BJP than tackling the developing situation in the Valley. There is complete chaos and disarray in the State Administration as the Chief Minister has failed in upholding her key responsibility of personally supervising such a serious situation”, the statement said.
Condemning Ms Mufti’s insensitive and ill-timed remarks of terming the families of the slain youth as ‘poor people’ who should be economically compensated for losing their family members, senior NC leaders said this was the Chief Minister blatantly denigrating the families of the victims after choosing to abandon the State in the middle of such a grim situation. While the Chief Minister is shockingly absent from the State, the Government is leaving no stone unturned to belittle the people by trivializing their grief in this manner.
This situation required the Chief Minister to be in Srinagar rather than celebrating an audience with the Defence Minister in New Delhi and preparing to meet the Prime Minister with a bouquet of flowers”, the party statement said.
While condemning remarks and statements by various PDP leaders blaming the people for ‘instigating’ this situation, National Conference said PDP’s lack of integrity in calling a spade a spade was now an established and inherent trait of their politics. “Rather than the Chief Minister cancelling her meetings and flying back to Srinagar to deal with this situation and prevent loss of lives, we have PDP leaders blaming the civilians for instigating and provoking the security forces. Such rank insensitivity and spiteful defamation of mourners and protesters in general is shameful and condemnable”, the NC leaders added.
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