Noorabad (Kulgam), June 24: Describing as outrageous the chief minister Omar Abdullah’s “diatribe” against the power consumers, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Sunday said it was an insult to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a public meeting at Khori Batpora in Kulgam district, party patron and former Chief Minster Mufti Muhammad Sayeed said Omar Abdullah’s remarks were contemptuous of an entire people and were not acceptable.
 Sayeed said the present power crisis faced by the state is a creation of the government led by Omar Abdullah who is not just the Chief Minister but the power minister as well. “Like many other big and small initiatives that were taken by the previous government, the progress in power sector reforms too has fallen a victim to the inefficiency, corruption and lack of political direction,” he said and added that significant improvement in power sector had been achieved during PDP-led coalition government’s tenure “but the NC botched it up with its misleading election slogans and the inability to implement reforms.”
 Regretting that the Chief Minister had resorted to threatening his own people, whom he claims to represent, Mufti said such a conduct would shake the foundations of the democratic system in the state. He said by dubbing everybody as a thief, and trying to project himself as a saint, Omar is doing a great disservice to the high office he is holding.
 He said after branding the people of this state as stone-pelters and anti-national elements the newest abuse Omar is hurling at the people is tagging them as power-thieves when the reality is that this government itself is identified with loot and plunder which has led to anarchy and misgovernance.
 Mufti said instead of blaming the people and the employees of Power Development Department, Omar must own up the failure to provide the administrative leadership to this crucial sector that affects everybody’s life.
 Mufti said previously Kashmir used to be a chronic victim of power shortage during winters whenever NC ruled the state. “But now even Jammu which did not face electricity shortages is going through an acute crisis at a time when a severe heat wave has hit the region resulting in untold miseries on account not only power, but also water supply,” he said and added that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have never resisted reforms; “they only need a government that leads them honestly.”
 Addressing the meeting former finance minister Tariq Hameed Karra reminded the people of the “false” election-eve promises dished out by Omar Abdullah including his infamous slogan of “Meter Todo, Heater Lagao.”
 He said Omar had also promised subsidized electricity and LPG to the people in his election campaign. “What he is doing now is punishing the people for having voted NC to power,” he said and added that this could be the “Asli Healing (Heating) Touch” which Omar recently claimed he is providing to the people.
 Senior party leaders Muhammad Sartaj Madni and Abdul Gaffar Sofi also addressed the meeting.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 24 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 24 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST