Jammu, Jan 16: (KNS) A little over five months have passed since the BJP government at the Center arbitrarily abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories. The BJP government was claiming that Articles 35A and 370 hinder development in J&K. Now let them produce the record as how much development has happened since then? Where is the investment and job opportunities which the BJP has been claiming will come after the revocation of J&K’s special status?

 

Forget about creating new employment opportunities, there is apprehension among people that now even class IV posts in J&K will be filled at all-India level. The slothful approach of incumbent administration in dealing with exigencies arising due to prevailing inclement weather conditions is highly unfortunate. When posh areas of Srinagar city are facing worst power cuts in this harsh winter, one can imagine the situation in rural areas. The administration has miserably failed on every concealable scale to provide basic amenities to the people.

 

National Highway connecting Kashmir with rest of the country remains closed for more days than it is open which has created scarcity of essential commodities in the Valley. The BJP, which is in power for the last almost six years has not been able to repair a patch from Ramban to Ramsu on the national highway. Students, patients, businessmen and others, who have to travel outside Kashmir, are facing the worst times.

 

 In a statement to KNS he said a time when the BJP government in the Center is making big claims, people in Kashmir are hankering for LPG, ration and other essential commodities. Even in rural areas of jammu the situation is not different. Snow is not being cleared from the roads in Kashmir. There is crisis of drinking water. These are the ground realities which can’t be brushed aside. The reality is  that only thing achieved by this BJP government so far is highly divisive and discriminatory measures like CAA, NRC and NPR which have created a lot of uncertainty in the country.

 

The Supreme Court may have declared indefinite Internet blackouts impermissible, but the Jammu and Kashmir administration seems to have found a way to circumvent the verdict and retain most restrictions in  the Valley. The J&K administration’s answer in response to apex court’s order is a mere eyewash.

 

We want to ask the BJP government why didn’t even a single minister visit Kashmir, when heavy snowfall in early November not only destroyed the apple crop, but caused massive damage to apple trees as well. In Jammu farmers suffered losses due to heavy rains. The Center didn’t even bother to send a junior minister to Kashmir or Jammu that time for assessment of the losses. Even till now the assessment of losses to apple and saffron industry and losses to farming community in Jammu has not been done  properly.

 

However, now reportedly a group of 36 central ministers is being parachuted to J&K so that they can campaign for the BJP. What is the  purpose for sending a huge team of ministers to J&K at this time, only BJP can answer?

 

At this juncture all secular democratic forces including, intelligentsia and the civil society at large, should put their heads together, discuss the situation intensively and raise their voice to make this insensitive and irresponsive government accountable.