PDP under pressure to quit alliance
BJP has played with emotions of Kashmiris: Yasin Khan
PDP should end this ‘marriage of compulsion’: FCIK
GoI turning blind eye toward Kashmir’s economic situation: KCCI
Delhi’s discriminatory approach toward Kashmir exposed: Qalandar
PDP should end this ‘marriage of compulsion’: FCIK
GoI turning blind eye toward Kashmir’s economic situation: KCCI
Delhi’s discriminatory approach toward Kashmir exposed: Qalandar
Disappointed over announcement of paltry Rs 1667 crore rehabilitation package by central government, the business fraternity and civil society of Kashmir on Wednesday upped their ante and asked the ruling PDP to pull out of the coalition government with rightwing BJP.
“We out-rightly reject this rehabilitation package. BJP has played with the emotions of Kashmiri people and its alliance partner in J&K, PDP should pull out from the coalition on moral grounds,” President of Kashmir Traders and Manufactures Federation and Kashmir Economic Alliance, Muhammad Yasin Khan said in a joint press conference of various trade and tourism bodies and representatives of the civil society.
He said it is the right time for PDP to quit the coalition with BJP and join hands with business fraternity of Kashmir.
“All the MLAs should resign in protest and join us in demanding a comprehensive package,” he said.
Khan said after a delay of 10 months, Government of India (GoI) has released “peanuts” in the name of rehabilitation package.
“In total estimation of Rs one lakh crore, previous government submitted a proposal of Rs 44,000 crore and it too is not being granted. I don’t understand for what sins we are being punished for,” he said.
GoI had yesterday announced an additional amount of Rs 1667 crore as part of the relief and reconstruction measures for Jammu and Kashmir which was ravaged in last year’s floods.
President FCIK, Muhammad Ashraf Mir said PDP-BJP alliance is “Marriage of Compulsion” and PDP should end the coalition without wasting any more time.
“It is better for PDP-BJP to part ways. Any way it will go for divorce sooner or later,” he said.
Mir demanded IIM and IIT for Kashmir saying, “If Jammu can be allotted AIIMS why can’t we get the other institutions. If IIM and IIT are not allotted to Kashmir, then we will go for agitation”.
Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) president, Ashiq Hussain Sheikh said the announcement of rehabilitation package by GoI is itself a “disaster”.
“We are shocked and disappointed by this package. Despite several assurances of Union Finance Minister to provide adequate help, there is nothing in this package,” he said.
Ashiq said that economic disaster is looming over Kashmir and it is unfortunate that GoI is turning blind eye towards the situation.
“We are going to form a committee to take stock of rehabilitation process. We will soon announce a program and take concrete steps to pressurize government to meet our demands,” he said.
Lashing out at Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu, Ashiq said it is regrettable that he has welcomed the rehabilitation package.
“He was never in favour of Rs 44,000 crore package submitted by previous government and did not pursued the case as he was supposed to do,” he alleged adding Drabu has failed to take all stakeholders on board and always goes by his own agenda.
Ashiq said even while drafting the state budget he didn’t listen to their suggestion and did his own calculation.
Kashmir Centre for Social and Development Studies (KCSDS) member Shakeel Qalander while rejecting the package said GoI has been exposed by their discriminatory approach towards Kashmir.
“The tall claims of GoI that we (Kashmiris) were their brother’s stand exposed. A step-motherly approach was adopted towards Kashmiri people right from the rescue operations to providing relief,” he alleged.
Stating that GoI wasted no time in allotting compensation to Uttrakhand, Qalandar said, “In Uttrakhand Rs 7 lakhs were give to those whose houses were damaged but in Kashmir only Rs 1.5 Lakh was allotted”.
He said out of Rs 1602 crore provided by NDRF, state government only received Rs 1100 crore while Rs 500 crore were earmarked for Indian Air Force.
On return of NHPC projects, Qaldar said GoI should return the NHPC projects to the State to make it self-reliant to generate its own revenue that can be utilized for rehabilitation process.
“NHPC has no right to operate from J&K. They are illegally using our water resources,” he said.
Qalandar said Kashmir can generate an economy of Rs 6000 crores annually through NHPC projects.
“In three years we will be able to compensate all the households that were damaged in the floods if our power projects are returned to us,” he added.
