Srinagar, June 26: Holding Chief Minister Omar Abdullah directly responsible for yesterday’s killing of civilians in Sopur, the Peoples Democratic President Mehbooba Mufti Saturday accused him of giving license to the security forces to kill innocents by equating stone pelting with suicide missions.
Talking to reporters at her official residence here, Mehbooba said the Chief Minister a few days ago had termed an incident of stone pelting as suicide mission thus providing an argument to security forces to open fire on civilians.
“There is anger among people over the grave incidents of killings and they resort to protest. Instead of stopping the deaths, the Chief Minister is aggravating the problem by his statements,” she said.
Lampooning the Chief Minister on recent transfers in police, she said limbs of the administration deliver only after proper direction from the top. “It is childish to say that if newly appointed SSP city has delivered in PDP rule, why he can’t now. The police and administration delivers only when there is right direction from the top. Instead, the Head of the state says protesters were on suicide mission. If this is the direction from the top, you can imagine the consequences,” she said.
Mehbooba said she wouldn’t ask the Chief Minister to step down. “In 2008 when we were in power we felt an order passed by the coalition government doesn’t serve the purpose and asked for its revocation. We even resigned from power without anyone asking for it. Here the Chief Minister should have the moral courage to admit failure of the Government,” she said.
Instead, she added, the Chief Minister’s attitude towards the suffering of people was totally indifferent.
She said the National Conference has started a new system of corruption. “In earlier governments when NC was in power its workers would take money from people while promising fourth class jobs. Now NC leaders mint money through workers by making people arrest and releasing them,” she added.
She said big criminals involved in killings, drug peddling, smuggling in Jammu and other areas were roaming freely while as youth in Kashmir were being booked under the Public Safety Act. She said present Government’s policies have potential to radicalize youth and it would have far reaching consequences for the mainstream politics.
She said PDP-led government had made mainstream relevant. “But the present government’s policies were making mainstream parties as pariah in the society,” she added.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 26 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 26 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 27 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST