National Conference on Thursday said Mehbooba Mufti’s singular goal of becoming the Chief Minister of the State had proved to be a very expensive bargain for the people of the State and had resulted in an assault on the State’s special status and political identity. Addressing a workers’ meeting at Chadoora today, Former Finance Minister and Senior National Conference Leader, Abdul Rahim Rather said the present stage of uncertainty, fear and anxiety was the darkest phase for the people in recent history.“The present phase of fear, anxiety and chaos is the darkest phase in recent history. The people of Kashmir have witnessed unimaginable suffering and pain over the past few decades and the present circumstances are unprecedented in the extent of how the people have been left to suffer in an atmosphere of hopelessness and helplessness. It is the Government’s basic and primary responsibility to ensure peace and stability and safeguard the lives and dignity of the people. Since the past three years not only has the PDP-BJP Government failed to ensure peace and stability but it has gone a step further to rob the people of peace of mind.The Mehbooba Mufti Government has utterly failed to dispense its duties”, Abdul Rahim Rather said.The Senior NC Leader and Former Finance Minister said the State had witnessed unprecedented turmoil, unrest and chaos since the very inception of the PDP-BJP Government in the State.
We had cautioned Late Mufti Sahab against aligning with the BJP and had even offered unconditional support to the PDP. Sadly, PDP chose to side with communal and divisive forces to satiate its thirst for power and today the consequences are in front of our eyes. PDP had promised and claimed that its alliance with the BJP would ensure that the State’s special status is safeguarded and said that there would be a status quo on Article 370 and Article 35-A. Contrary to a status-quo, the BJP has left no stone unturned to launch one indirect assault after another against Article 370 and Article 35A through its affiliates. And despite these assaults, PDP is silent and has surrendered its voice to remain in power”, Rather added.“Through the extension of GST to the State, PDP has robbed us of our fiscal autonomy and has also paralyzed the State’s Economy. Every sector of our economy is in deep distress and unemployment has increased manifold”, the Senior NC Leader further said.Lashing out at the Government over hundreds of incidents of braid-chopping across the Valley, the Senior NC leader said our mothers, sisters and daughters were living in a state of anxiety and apprehension as the Government was clueless and had failed to nab the culprits and unearth the mystery. “Misgoverance has become rampant and every key government department has utterly failed to provide people with basic public services and utilities”, the Former Finance Minister added.Rather also led a protest march against the Government on the issue of assaults on women and incidents of braid chopping on this occasion.Senior NC Leader and Central Zone President, MLC Mr. Ali Mohammad Dar, District Secretary Mr. Ghulam Ahmed Naseem, District Organizer Mr. Mohammad Maqbool, District Vice President Mr. Abdul Rashid Zargar and Block presidents of the area were also present on the occasion.(CNS)