Mehbooba said nowadays sermons are being given in mosques on special status of J&K, Pandit townships, Industrial policy and alleged molestation of a school girl by the army men in Handwara in April this year.
The BJP legislator countered the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Muhammad Yusuf Bhat, who had claimed that his party made the BJP to shelve the issue of scrapping the Article 370.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Wednesday hit out at Muslim clergy in Kashmir accusing them of selectively raking up the controversies over Article 370 in mosques.
Mehbooba said nowadays sermons are being given in mosques on special status of J&K, Pandit townships, Industrial policy and alleged molestation of a school girl by the army men in Handwara in April this year.
“Do you know how many cases of molestation have been reported after the Handwara case? There are allegations against some teachers. But they (preachers) only talk about it (molestation) when men in uniform tease girls,” said Mehbooba while replying to the discussion on the demand of grants for the Departments held by her in the Legislative Assembly.
In her one hour and 10 minute speech, Mehbooba said the Article 370 has become the focus of Friday sermons in mosques.
“Wohkya protect karangay Article 370. They are looking for something else,” Mehbooba said. “We (the House) have to protect it. The Article 370 is the legacy that we have inherited from Sheikh (Muhammad Abdullah) Sahab and Maharaja in 1947,” said Mehbooba.
“I am surprised that they (preachers) talk so big about Article 370 in their sermons…I also belong to the family of preachers. We have to strive for protecting the environment and the water bodies,” she said.
The Chief Minister talked about the pollution emanating from the cement factories In Khrew area of Pulwama district. “I want to ask these Wazkhans have they ever talked about it and the patients who suffer from this pollution,” said Mehbooba. “Have they ever talked about them (patients) in their sermons?”
She asked the preachers to focus on protection of the climate and environment in Kashmir, instead.
“What will be use of Article 370 when we will be left with no rivers, mountains and our land? I want to ask them who give sermons that have they ever talked about the Dal Lake which is dying. Have you ever mentioned it in your sermons?” Mehbooba said.
The Chief Minister said the issue of ownership of 500 industrial units was being raised in mosques, saying not a single unit was handed over during PDP Government.
“This has no effect on the Article 370. But they should get something to talk about in the mosques,” said Mehbooba. “They are not ready to listen but raise hue and cry against setting up of transit accommodations for Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley.”
Mehbooba made it clear that dialogue with separatists can take place only after “the situation improves”.
“If we give only good governance without political process or a political process without good governance, it will not work. We have to do both simultaneously but for that you have to give us some time,” she said.
Responding to the remarks by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that the PDP was creating excuses for justifying alliance with BJP, Mehbooba said she doesn’t need to justify the alliance.
“It was my father’s decision. Yeah patherkelakeerhainmeraliya,” said Mehbooba saying her father stood by the difficult decisions he took during his 60-year career unlike “others”, who took U-turns in the past. “The decision to enter into the alliance was equally difficult for us and BJP, but we did it for a purpose.”
“I will enter into alliance with BJP thousand times if it proves beneficial for Jammu and Kashmir, even at the cost of my political career and identity,” said Mehbooba, amid clapping by members from both PDP and BJP.
Countering Omar, Mehbooba said the National Conference led Government “cheaply surrendered” seven power projects to New Delhi apart from handing over the control of JK Bank to RBI.
“It was you who first shook hands with RSS in 1999. You are asking me why we (PDP) allied with BJP. What was your compulsion then to ally with RSS? What forced you to impose ban on Shahtoos or handover JK Bank to RBI,” asked Mehbooba.
Talking about the alleged rigged elections of 1987 Mehbooba said her father and former Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed was the State Congress President.
“How would have PCC President made any difference. Whatever happened that time it was done at the behest of the then Government,” Mehbooba said. “You (NC) rushed to Delhi that time and created panic that If Muslim United Front comes to power we will lose Kashmir.”
The Chief Minister said the focus of her Government would be providing good governance and taking the political process forward on Jammu and Kashmir.
She said her Government would take tangible steps to streamline the institutions of public service delivery to ensure change on the ground.
Mehbooba said the Government was committed to return of Kashmiri Pandits to Kashmir. “We will settle them temporarily in transit accommodation and once they adjust to the new life, they can gradually restart their lives at their native places,” said Mehbooba.
The Chief Minister said the coalition government was committed to protect the Article 370 which she described as the lifeline of relation between India and Jammu and Kashmir.
Reiterating that the Government was using humane approach to deal with the youth involved in cases of unrest, the Chief Minister said the Home Department has been ordered to prepare the list of “misguided youths” who have been involved in various cases of violence since 2008 and were subsequently booked under criminal charges by J&K Police.
“My Government will study these cases and we are contemplating general amnesty scheme for those youths who are willing to shun the path of violence and lead normal lives. Many of these youths who are languishing in jails will be set free before Eid and the remaining cases will also be considered on humanitarian grounds,” she said.
She called for establishing an effective grievance redress mechanism at the district level. “We will also ensure that the Public Services Guarantee Act is further strengthened to address the concerns of people,” she said.
Stressing the need for infusing new life in the institutions at the cutting edge level, the Chief Minister said while at the district level DDC would be empowered in effect, the institutions of Block Development Officers, Station House Officers, Tehsildars, doctors and teachers who were in direct contact with the people on daily basis at the grassroots level would be reoriented to make them more people-friendly and accessible.
The Chief Minister said J&K has got a huge tourism potential which was being explored by the coalition Government, “From pilgrim tourism to adventure tourism, the rich landscape of Jammu and Kashmir is an ideal place for people who want to spend quality life away from their tiring schedules. My Government is committed to raise infrastructure to make J&K an ideal and an attractive place for them,” she said.
The Chief Minister again hit out at some TV news channels for negative portrayal of the situation in the state.
“While they did not find the valour of a boatman, who drowned while saving tourists, worthy of a story, they held a discussion when some pilgrims were accidentally caught in stone pelting on police,” she said. “May be some vested interests from other states, who want to crush the tourism industry of our state, are behind it (negative coverage),” said Mehbooba.
Describing journalism as an inseparable pillar of accountable governance, the Chief Minister said she would revive the proposal of developing Press Club at Srinagar.
“I will also go over the State Advertisement & Empanelment policies to promote institution of journalism,” she stated.
She announced shifting of Central Jail out of Srinagar and Jammu cities and said the premises would be developed to create recreational facilities for the locals.
The Chief Minister said separate cadre would be created for Kashmir Police Services (KPS) on the pattern of KAS.
Responding to the concern of the legislators over vandalizing of the tourist resort of Sonamarg, the Chief Minister said a committee would be constituted to identify the reasons for the “mess” at Sonamarg.
She also proposed increase in the salary and CDF of the legislators.
Later, the House passed with voice vote the grants pertaining to General Administration Department, Science & Technology Department, Information Technology Department, Home Department, Planning and Development Department, Information Department, Ladakh Affairs Department, Tourism Department, Libraries, Archives, Cultural Academy and Hospitality and Protocol Departments, for the year 2016-17, which were moved by the Chief Minister under demand No 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 20 and 24.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday said it has not shelved the issue of scrapping Article 370 which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
“We have put the issue on the backburner but we haven’t forgotten it,” said BJP legislator Gagan Bhagat while participating in the discussion on demand of grants for the Departments held by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
The BJP legislator countered the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Muhammad Yusuf Bhat, who had claimed that his party made the BJP to shelve the issue of scrapping the Article 370.
“When we (PDP and BJP) came together, we (PDP) made them to shelve the issue of scrapping the Article 370. This Government is for development of Jammu and Kashmir,” said Bhat.
However, Muhammad Akbar Lone, National Conference MLA stood up from his seat and told the the BJP members that PDP members are saying that they have forced you (BJP) into silence, the BJP member Gagan Bhagat said that he wanted to make it clear that his party hasn’t forgotten the issue (of scrapping the Article 370).
Earlier PDP’s Bhat accused the erstwhile National Conference-Congress regime of sabotaging the case of double rape and murder of Aasiya and Neelofar of Shopian in 2009.
“What did you do then? The souls of Aasiya and Neelofar will still be restless seeking justice,” said Bhat.
