Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 4: National Conference today ridiculed People’s Democratic Party for scaling down its stand on core issues and said the commitment to get assurance over revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act was put to back-burner in the course of bargaining on six years’ assured tenure as Chief Minister for Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
“After sacrificing key issues, especially the revocation of AFSPA, Mufti Sayeed played smart by raking up emotive issues to divert peoples’ attention from the sell out his party indulged in while negotiating with the BJP”, the National Conference legislators said in a joint statement.
They described the blow hot blow cold game being played by Mufti Sayeed and BJP top leadership as a fixed match in order to create confusion and to contain resentment which brewed up in the wake of opportunistic alliance.
Referring to PDP’s u-turn over AFSPA, the National Conference leaders said that high pitch posturing before and after the elections was just to hoodwink the public opinion. They reminded the PDP of its public commitment and reiteration made as latest as on December 27, 2014 over revocation of AFSPA and said the party felt reconciled on getting a passing reference inserted in the ‘Agenda of the Alliance’ released recently which merely mentions that the ‘coalition Government will examine the need for de-notifying disturbed areas which will enable the Union Government to take a final view on the continuation of AFSPA in some areas’. They questioned as to what was new in this rhetoric, as this has been the position for years and asked the PDP, especially Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to clarify his stand on this vital issue. They said the diversionary tactics and playing to galleries will not give legitimacy to the opportunistic alliance.
The legislators referred to the report purported to have been submitted to the Cabinet Committee on Security by the Ministry of Home Affairs, recommending rejection of the Justice B. P Jeevan Reddy Committee recommendations on revocation of AFSPA. The Defence Ministry has also vetoed these recommendations and it all has happened a day after the Mufti led Government took oath of office. “This is the result of sacrificing key issues for the sake of power”, they said and added that the Chief Minister owes an explanation to the people on this alarming development.
The National Conference legislators expressed concern over sinister machinations of the PDP and BJP coalition and said this will take heavy toll of governance lead to chaos and confusion in the State.
They hoped the people of the state will see through the gameplan and make the new government to deliver on the promises made instead of seeking refuge in pretentious political jingoism.
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