SRINAGAR, FEB 1 (KNS): Senior Congress leader Tariq Hamid Karra on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led central government, calling the Union Budget "another full of disappointments" for Jammu and Kashmir and accusing it of "deliberate financial and political neglect" of the Union Territory.

 

Speaking exclusively with news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) ahead of the J&K budget session, the J&K Congress chief alleged a persistent pattern of deprivation, stating the region has been denied a "people's budget" for years.

 

Karra specifically targeted the adjustment in funding for inflation, known as the "natural step-up," which he said was historically around 10 percent. "Last year it was reduced, and this time a mere 4.2 percent step-up has been given, that too as a resource gap filler. This is a classic case of step-motherly treatment," he claimed.

 

He also dismissed the ?289 crore allocation for disaster management as "insignificant," saying it does not match the scale of infrastructure and agricultural losses J&K has suffered, particularly during past floods.

 

When asked about the unfulfilled promises of the incumbent administration on issues like electricity, gas connections, and the removal of the Public Safety Act (PSA), Karra put the onus on his party's alliance partners in the J&K government.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel"They have to respond to their manifesto's assurances. Had we been in government, we would have acted," he said.

 

He affirmed that the Congress would forcefully raise the demand for the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

 

In a strong condemnation, Karra also spoke about recent incidents involving Kashmiri students in some parts of the country, calling it a "sustained campaign" where Kashmiris are being "considered aliens" and "declared anti-national."

 

"This is happening prominently in BJP-ruled states. In Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh, swift action was taken. There is a deliberate attempt to create a market of hatred for electoral gains," he alleged, accusing the BJP and RSS of fueling division.

 

Karra said the Congress legislative party would finalize its strategy for the budget session, focusing on statehood, public welfare, and the safety of Kashmiri citizens across India. (KNS)