'Instead of political poaching CM should concentrate on governance'

Expressing surprise and dismay over Chief Minister Omar Abdullah disapproval of using NSA against BJP’s Varun Gandhi for his venomous anti-Muslim utterances, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti has said Omar’s remarks have once again exposed the deceitful politics of the National Conference (NC) leadership.

“While on one hand Omar Abdullah is enjoying power in the State with the Congress, he is at the same time trying to keep his old friends in the BJP in good humor for a future alliance post-Lok Sabha polls,” Mehbooba said while addressing party workers from Sonawar constituency here today. She said Omar Abdullah by opposing use of NSA against Varun Gandhi, is only endorsing the stand of the right-wing groups like RSS, Bajrang Dal and VHP on the issue.

Mehbooba said instead of shedding tears over the plight of Varun Gandhi, it would have been advisable for Omar Abdullah to show same concern for the hundreds of Kashmiri detenues booked under the draconian Public Safety Act (PSA). “Although, Omar Abdullah has not kept his election promise of releasing all the political detenues within one week of the formation of his government, it would have been appropriate if he had at least shown similar concern for them as he did for Varun Gandhi,” she said and added that the recent release and instant arrest of the separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah is only a depiction of how the special laws are being misused in the State.

Accusing Omar Abdullah of spending more time on political poaching than delivering on the governance front, Mehbooba said instead of using his position and resources to poach on his political rivals, the Chief Minister should concentrate on mitigating the sufferings of the people that he had promised to do during his election campaigning.

Reminding Omar Abdullah of the commitments made by him during electioneering, Mehbooba said the people want to know where is the much-parroted Truth and Reconciliation Commission on human rights violations, where have the one lakh jobs that were to be given in the first month of the new government gone, what happened to the promise of one job to each family, where is the stipend for the educated unemployed youth, what happened to the commitment of bringing down educational qualification for recruitment of police constables to middle pass and last but not least there is also no word from the Government about removing the electricity meters, slashing the power tariff, making electricity available round-the-clock and subsidizing the LPG and rations promised by NC during electioneering.