Bandipora, Apr 30: Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday said that the time has come for the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and it is undemocratic to deprive the people from elected government for a long time.
Addressing a public gathering at Bandipora, he said that DPAP is a party that believes in democratic values and will ensure various pro- people initiatives are launched to benefit the weaker sections of people in the society if elected to power.
“ If the DPAP is elected to power we will ensure the poor are provided free electricity and other benefits so that they will not face a burden on their budget. We will also work to create diverse economic opportunities in various sectors including tourism, agriculture and horticulture so that the economy of common people improves,” Azad said. He added that when he was the chief minister of erstwhile J&K state, he granted the district status to Bandipora, opened hospitals, colleges and set up a long network of roads to benefit the people.
“However, it has been a long time since then and the development in the district seems at halt now and successive governments have overlooked the growing infrastructural requirements of the district,” Chairman DPAP said. Azad said that unlike other people, he will not make false promises and keep people in the dark. “I will make promises and will deliver on that. Unlike most of the politicians who visit you and make a number of promises never to deliver,” he said.
Azad stated that the socioeconomic indicators of Jammu and Kashmir are concerning since it is being pushed to a dark era. He said the economic opportunities are dwindling and so is the per capita income. Similarly, no new avenues and job opportunities are created despite thousands “of our youth every year completing their education.”
“There is no hope, only despair and anxiety. Someone has to come forward and fight it out for our bright future,” he said and reiterated that DPAP is the only platform to take UT out of this quagmire. Azad said that he and his party will never sit silent whenever injustice with the people is done. He said the protests against land eviction was one of the examples when hundreds of party workers marched peacefully on the streets and forced the government to stop the coercive measures.
