Srinagar, August 21: Senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and Member of Parliament, Muzzafar Hussain Baig has said the game is up for the ruling coalition in Jammu and Kashmir as the people have made up their mind to throw it away in the forthcoming assembly elections in the state. He also said the PDP will continuously raise and fight for the people’s rights both in and outside the state.
Addressing a public meeting at Uri constituency in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said the people are counting days to see the end of the National Conference-Congress government in the state which has got them nothing but miseries and pain over the years. “Both NC and Congress are responsible for the sufferings of the people,” he said.
Baig said given the public anger against the Omar Abdullah-government the people of the state will soon elect a government of their choice, which will take care of their aspirations and emotions well. The PDP parliamentarian said his party, with the support of the people, will write a new future for the state. He said there is an urge for change amongst the people and the PDP is going to the people’s court to seek a clear mandate in the coming elections on the basis of its performance both in the government and opposition.
Baig said the ruling National Conference has always been taking the people for ride, institutionalising corruption and nepotism, damaging the democratic institutions, inflicting injuries on people, patronising crime and compromising the interests of the state over the last eight decades. And, its present tenure, Baig said is one of the worst the people could have ever imagined of. “The people will in no case forgive the sins and crimes of the ruling party politicians and they will go down in the history for bringing disrepute, misfortune and disgrace to the state and pain to the people,” he said.
The PDP MP said areas like Uri will become an important hub of trade, tourism and economic activities once the post-independence siege is lifted from the entire state. “PDP will continue its efforts to lift the post-independence siege in Jammu and Kashmir that will help more to the people living in the border areas,” he added. He said PDP during its brief tenure in the government played a crucial role to smoothen the relations between India and Pakistan. He said the historical ceasefire in 2003 didn’t only give relief to the residents of border areas but it made a new beginning for peace and tranquillity in the entire South Asia.
Baig said PDP since its inception has always stood by the side of people without compromising on its policies and agenda unlike National Conference. “People have always been our priority and we will continue to fight for their rights no matter what the circumstance will be,” he said. He said PDP during its brief tenure in the government and in the opposition has proved its credentials well and its performance is before everyone to judge. “Whether in the government or opposition the PDP has always come up to the expectations of the people,” he added.
He said the party understands and values the aspirations and emotions of its people and it has not gone to the Lok Sabha to seek power. Baig said our mandate is to seek consensus on the Kashmir issue and issues of Kashmir and for that we have been successful till now to raise our voice both in an outside the parliament. “The aspirations of people of the state and their issues are priority before the PDP unlike the NC which considers power and luxury for itself,” he said.
Javaid Hussain Baig, State Secretary; Raja Aijaz Ali, candidate for Uri constituency; Dr Shabir Mangral and others were also present