Anantnag: National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Monday demanded an enquiry into the expenditure of funds that were meant for the dredging of Jehlum after the devastating floods of 2014.
The former chief minister said the PDP-BJP government was culpable for massive scams and rampant misgovernance over the past three and a half years besides pushing the State into an abyss of political uncertainty and widespread disenchantment.
Addressing the Party’s South Zone meeting at Dak Bunglow Anantnag on Monday, Omar said there should be an enquiry into the expenditure of funds that were meant for the dredging of Jehlum after the devastating floods of 2014.
He said that the mandate of 2014 was disrespected and violated when the PDP and BJP formed an alliance after seeking votes against each other during the election campaign. Mr. Omar Abdullah said the State’s political uncertainty and state of turmoil was a devastating result of an opportunistic alliance that was responsible for not only alienating the youth but also creating an unprecedented chasm between the three regions of the State.
“National Conference doesn’t believe in sacrificing its ideological basis for power and the party will not be a part of any attempts for government formation through rumoured permutations and combinations. We believe in respecting the mandate of the people and will not be a part of any attempts to ridicule and manipulate the aspirations of the people. It is for this precise reason that the party has sought the dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly. While we understand that the situation is not conducive for immediate elections in the State, we are of the firm believe that only a fresh democratic exercise can repose the faith of the people in the institutions and system of democracy in the State”, the National Conference Vice President added.
Addressing the meeting for South Zone which included an organizational review of Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian districts, the NC Vice President said there should be an investigation into the funds that were meant for the dredging of Jehlum in the aftermath of the devastating 2014 floods. “What happened to the money meant for dredging the Jehlum? When Mufti Sahab formed an alliance with the BJP in 2014 we were led to believe that one of the main reasons for this sell-out was to facilitate the flow of flood relief and rehabilitation funds to the State. What happened to the 90,000 crore package? Just a few days ago we witnessed how a moderate rainfall for two days brought us on the brink of deluge and destruction as our rivers and floods channels were not dredged and de-silted for the past three and a half years. Is there a massive scam here? The people deserve to know who is responsible and what happened to the funds. Similarly there were massive scams in various other departments where funds have virtually disappeared. Apart from pushing the State into the throes of turmoil and chaos, the PDP-BJP Alliance failed on every single basic front of governance as well”, the NC Vice President said while addressing the meeting.
The National Conference Vice President said while the fall of the PDP-BJP Government had brought some amount of respite to the people and reduced the public anguish and resentment to a certain extent, the situation in the State was still nowhere near what the PDP-BJP Government inherited in 2014. “The first and foremost concern is the restoration of the situation to what it was before 2014. We have to respect the aspirations and sentiments of the people – especially the youth and reach out to them through reconciliatory political initiatives. Neither the political issue, nor the present crisis can be resolved through military or operational means or mechanisms. While National Conference stands and advocates the restoration of Internal Autonomy as a solution to the issue, we should reach out to those who are angry and listen to them. We need to listen to our alienated youth and bring them on board to come out of this situation. We need to find out why highly educated and employed young men are choosing the path of militancy over the prospects of a normal, comfortable life. These are not ordinary trends and we need to find a way out for the sake of future generations”, the NC Vice President added.
The NC Vice President asked the party leaders to work with utmost unity and close collaboration to strengthen the organization at all levels. “Our workers form the backbone of our party and we have to ensure that our organizational structure and functioning is optimal to both strengthen the party and deliver on our promises to the people. We have to ensure that all attempts to weaken us are thwarted and that we deliver an alternative of hope and positivity to the people of the State”, the NC Vice President said.
