Srinagar, Jan 16: In less than a week of the conduction of “special police recruitment rally” in Khanyar area of Shahr-e-Khaas, the Srinagar unit of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday took to streets terming the drive as nothing but “well planned drama” to benefit the party cadres of the ruling National Conference led  coalition.
 Raising slogans like We Want Justice, Stop Favoritism and Stop Victimization of Srinagar the PDP cadres marched through the City centre streets as they finally made it to Mushtaq Memorial Press Enclave to pitch their views before the mediamen.
 The party’s district President, Muhammad Ashraf Mir questioned the legitimacy of the recruitment drive held past week in Khanyar saying no prior public intimation was made about the event.
 “The so called special recruitment drive remained such a tightly kept secret among the NC cadres and their nears and dears, that not even the local youth could get benefited out of the drive as they were simply not aware of it,” he alleged.
 Mir flanked by senior party cadre Aasiya Naqash alleged that the MLA Khanyar made a “typical drama of the event to benefit his party workers and those who had greased their palms.”
 The PDP cadres said on one hand minors were being booked under PSA on charges of stone pelting while on the hand the NC was trying to give a notion  that stone pelters were given police jobs during the Khanyar drive.
 “This speaks of their double standards,” they said.
 The party workers accused the MLA Khanyar and his son of trying to unduly benefit the NC.
 Aasiya said: “Srinagar youth have already been victimized in job avenues. If any recruitment drive has to be held, it should be transparent and universal for all the eight constituencies of the district.”
 Aasiya who has twice contested from adjoining Hazratbal took a dig at the constituency MLA and senior NC leader Dr Mustafa Kamal saying: “He remained busy making statements on big issues like accession and international politics but by that time MLA Khanyar ate up everybody’s right to unduly benefit his men through recruitments and other means.”
 Besides others, party cadres Abdul Rashid Hafiz and Nissar Ahmed also participated in the protests.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 16 Jan 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 16 Jan 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 17 Jan 2011 00:00:00 IST