Srinagar: Opposition National Conference on Friday claimed that contracts in various departments worth crores have been handed out to “proxies of the PDP and close associates of the Chief Minister.”
“There are numerous well-substantiated complaints of some sort of a political filter being used at our financial institutions where our widows, destitute, pensioners and employees deposit every penny of their hard earned salaries and savings,” said a spokesman of the party.
He added: “The Government should stop this brazen crony capitalism forthwith and initiate an inquiry into these dealings which could quite possibly collectively amount to thousands of crores – from which kickbacks could have gone up to the highest echelons of power in this Government. I have met some entrepreneurs who have handed over tangible and shocking proofs of this collusion.
The spokesman expressed disappointment at the “continued apathy” of the State Government towards young entrepreneurs of the State.
“There is a pervasive atmosphere of crony-capitalism engulfing the State’s economy as public institutions had practically become economic wings of the PDP.”
The spokesman said a young entrepreneur takes on unimaginable risks in a strife-torn State to add economic value and jobs in the system.
“First generation entrepreneurs who don’t come from established business platforms and backgrounds are the engines of growth and deserve encouragement and facilitation from the system. Rather than being encouraged, these young entrepreneurs are being persecuted and humiliated in our government departments and institutions where a select list of crony capitalists close to the powers that be are calling the shots.”
The spokesman said there was “open collusion” between certain businessmen and the ruling dispensation and the Chief Minister was “personally” encouraging it.
The Spokesman claimed there were brazen instances of collusion between some business houses, contractors and Ministers and leaders of the ruling dispensation and it was this system of collusion and crony-capitalism that was suffocating the local economy by cutting off credit to the unaffiliated, hardworking entrepreneur and depriving him of a fair and equal playing field.
“When it comes to an entrepreneur without any affiliation to the powers that be, he has to spend years in the vicious circle of the red-tape that has become a norm in our public institutions. On the contrary when it comes to the VIP list of businessmen and contractors supported by the Chief Minister and the political dispensation – our institutions bend their back backwards to extend every possible legitimate and illegitimate assistance to favour to them.”
