Pro-India parties behind economic crisis: Mirwaiz

Takes on CM for blaming Hurriyat-led shutdowns for instability in state

Hitting back at Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today said “the policies of pro-India parties” over the years were “responsible for the economic crisis” of the J&K.
In her address to the J&K Legislative Council on Saturday, Mehbooba had blamed the Hurriyat conglomerate for causing economic instability of the state by their shutdown calls.
“The statement made by Mehbooba”, Mirwaiz said, “was meant to cover the heinous crimes perpetrated by (pro-India parties) by selling out the interests of the people to New Delhi.”
“The reality was that Jammu and Kashmir was facing economic predicament due to the illegal occupation and pillaging of its abundant natural resources by the Government of India, for which only pro-India parties were responsible,” Mirwaiz said in a statement while hitting back at the Chief Minister.
“The loot of Jammu and Kashmir’s resources had brought economic instability to the state which was a deliberate ploy to make Kashmiris dependent and the only people who were deriving benefits from it were state’s pro-India politicians,” Mirwaiz went on to say.
The Hurriyat chairman claimed people of Jammu and Kashmir “were pursuing a peaceful struggle based on their rights, and as they were subjected to atrocities and harassment by the state, they had no better option but to observe a peaceful shutdown.”
By blaming shutdowns for economic mess in the state and overlooking the real reasons, the Chief Minister was being more loyal than the king to New Delhi.
Mirwaiz also condemned the “use of force, atrocities and harassment by the police and government forces” in Sopore during the holy month of Ramazan and even on a “peaceful, religious gathering on Laylat al-Qadr by firing pepper gas and stopping them from performing religious obligations.”