Governor Satya Pal Malik Thursday launched a scathing attack on separatists, National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party and previous central governments in New Delhi as he held them responsible for the “mess” in Kashmir Valley.
According to Malik, separatists are pushing Kashmiri youth towards militancy despite knowing that “they will get nothing other than destruction from wielding guns”.
He termed PDP and NC as “opportunists” and stated that “some political parties in Delhi” didn’t handle the Kashmir issue well during their rule because the “dishonest parties remained busy in conspiracies than finding a solution to the vexing issue”.
“Some people in Kashmir are selling the dreams of Azaadi. I want to know what kind of Azaadi they need. Let me tell the misguided youth and their so-called leaders that if they’re thinking Kashmir will go to Pakistan, they’re mistaken. It is not going to happen. If they need Azaadi of their choice they can go to Pakistan,” the Governor said.
He said that the Narendra Modi-led government was willing to address all the issues of the separatist leadership and the people of the Kashmir “but under the ambit of Indian Constitution only”.
“Narendra Modi government cares about people of Kashmir and Jammu. He has affection towards Kashmiris. During 2014 floods, he extended all possible help to the people of Kashmir. The army personnel saved people by carrying them on their shoulders. Even Kashmiri youth hailed the army soldiers by raising pro-India slogans, but now, under the influence of separatists, they throw stones at our personnel which will never be tolerated,” Malik said.
The Governor said that the present day Kashmir was the result of the failure of successive governments at the Centre.
He said, “I believe that Kashmir has become an issue only because of some leaders in Delhi who were dishonest and conspirators. They gave power of Kashmir in the hands of wrong people. And there is a section of leadership which is still treading their path. They speak something in Delhi and exactly opposite in Srinagar. They’re fooling youth by selling them Azaadi. If they need Azaadi they need to go to Pakistan.”
Malik also blamed religious heads for telling the militant youth that “they will get jannat (paradise) after their death”.
He said, “Some educated youth are also falling in their (mosque heads’) trap of jannat. Though it is their religious issue but jannat is such a thing which nobody has seen. And those who have seen are not alive to tell the living beings about their experiences”.
“I believe there are only two jannats, one that ruler Jahangir saw in Kashmir and the other in being good Muslims. I will ask the Kashmiri youth to save their first jannat (Kashmir) and get the other by being the obedient Muslims. There is nothing in wielding weapons other than facing death on the way,” the Governor said.
He also said that if the youth shun the path of militancy, his administration will offer them some rehabilitation packages “provided the Hurriyat, PDP and NC don’t stop him from doing so”.
“The Hurriyat, PDP and NC know this fact very well that the youth will get nothing out of militancy, but they leave no stone unturned to gain politically from the deaths of the militants. There is a party, which doesn’t even wait for the confirmation of death of militants to mourn at their residence for its political gains,” Malik said, apparently referring to the PDP.
“These Kashmiri parties have to clear their stand. Their double standards wouldn’t work,” he said.
While targeting the religious heads and separatists, Malik said, “Our forces fight militants in extreme weather conditions, in bone-chilling cold, snow, in the midst of night and some religious heads assemble people using loudspeakers from the mosques to pelt stones at them (soldiers), corner their vehicles. And when in the exchange of fire, the youth die they give call of Kashmir shutdown. This is hypocrisy.”
‘PDP, NC’s DOUBLE STANDARDS IRRITATE ME’
Governor blamed Peoples Democratic Party and National Conference for “double standards”.
He said, “Sometimes, I get angry over the double-standards of PDP and NC. When we announced dates for panchayat polls, NC and PDP boycotted the polls”.
“I, breaking the protocol, visited the residence of my friend Mufti Sayeed as I couldn’t visit his home at the time of his death. Despite the fact that Omar is younger than me, I visited his residence also and then Mehbooba’s to convince them that panchayat elections will help the sarpanchs get funds up to Rs 1 crore and that the elections will empower the grassroots democracy. But these people didn’t agree to polls as they don’t want the people should get empowered. They only want personal empowerment.”
“They (NC and PDP) didn’t listen to my pleas and boycotted the polls hoping I wouldn’t conduct the polls. They were wrong as I conducted the polls peacefully. Even PM complimented me for the peaceful polls because not even a single bird was killed during the polls,” he said.
Malik said that on an average, 50-60 people die during polls in Kashmir and even during Srinagar by-polls wherein Farooq Abdullah got elected to the parliament, nine people died on a single day.
“But not a single casualty was reported during the local body polls in Kashmir when we conducted the polls.”
“It was all possible due to the support of security forces and the people of the Kashmir. As far as polling percentage in the polls is concerned, it was also over 30%, far better than most of the polls wherein the friends of Farooq Abdullah were elected with just 6 per cent votes,” he said.
The Governor said, “I want to tell these people (NC and PDP) that their boycott hardly matters. If they want to achieve something, it is possible only through dialogue.”
Malik said despite boycott by these parties, he didn’t discriminate with any of the party as far as executing public works are concerned.
“I asked Mehbooba to list me the pending works. I got Rs 8000 crore sanctioned and completed most of the developmental projects. I also asked Omar to let me know the works of public importance, but he didn’t show any interest. While Mehbooba government approved construction of 14 degree colleges, I approved 50 and sanctioned 41,” the Governor said.
Governor Malik further appealed the public to send him a list of important public works so that he could execute them on priority.
“My pen in President Rule has the might for another two months and may be, it gets the might for four months. I will do all your works. Once polls will be held I will leave all to their governments to do but they’re not even serious on holding polls as different parties have different stands,” Governor said.
Governor said that once ECI will announce the dates for the polls, his administration would ensure the peaceful conduct of the polls.
Governor Malik said previous governments in Jammu and Kashmir engaged people without following proper procedure.
“They kept on engaging people blindly without looking at the financial needs, following the process of examination. There are around 40000 teachers who were engaged without planning, but we’re trying to adjust all the employees in a better manner,” he said, when asked about the future of protesting daily-wagers and other employees, on the sidelines of the Kissan Mela at Jourian.
He said his advisors and the chief secretary were meeting the leaders of safai karamchari unions, PHE, ITI, PDD daily-wagers and other employees and “very soon, their issues will be addressed”.