Reacting to remarks of PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, against BJP at the PDP Foundation Day, Mr. Devender Singh Rana on the side-lines of a party function here while talking to the reporters said the people of Kashmir are well aware about the dubious role played by the PDP and its leadership in different forms and colours to instigate and exploit the people.

 

“When it suits the PDP leadership, they can go to any extent in raising communal passions, as they did in 1984 and 1987”, Mr Rana said, recalling the  Years of Mufti Mohammed Sayeed as Home Minister when the national interest was hugely compromised. He said the PDP’s close links with anti-national and subversive elements, especially during 2002 and 2009 are well known. He recalled the sinister observations of the then PDP Chief who went to the extent of telling terrorists in 2002 that they need not worry as their representatives were in the Assembly.

 

“Much water has flown down the Jhelum during the past five years after abrogation of Article 370 that brought about discernible turnaround in the situation in the Valley and opened up vistas of economic opportunities across Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of focused attention towards infrastructural development and massive investments”, Mr Rana said while addressing the workers.

 

He advised the opportunistic political entities in public space to shun colour blindness and muster the courage to move outside their comfort zones and ask the people associated with tourism and allied industries and they will tell them about the dividends of peace that has brought cheer in the lives of millions, they kept them deprived of for over three decades as a sinister strategy to remain in the power corridors. Normalised and peaceful Kashmir doesn’t fit in with their schemes, which is why they can’t conceal their discomfort on seeing the Valley humming with activities round the clock, be it summer or the winter. Never ever has Kashmir witnessed such a tourism and pilgrim boom that is directly associated with the economy of both the regions of Kashmir and Jammu, he added.

 

Mr Devender Rana said whenever self-proclaimed representatives of Kashmir feel politically irrelevant; they raise the bogey of talks with Pakistan, terrorists and separatists, forgetting how severe miseries they have brought to the people. On the other hand, they used to remain in close proximity to those at the helm to bargain for power. However, such a strategy of ‘blackmail and exploitation’ has ended under the dynamic and decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.  He said the scenario has now changed because Delhi now has a strong determined government that wants the common people to be the end beneficiaries of the schemes and funds allotted for Jammu and Kashmir with no role for the ‘middlemen’ in terms of dubious politicians.

 

Cautioning against the double speak of rejected political leaders, who were attempting to strain Jammu and Kashmir tryst with progress, development and harmony as per the cherished agenda of Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi’s solemn pledge of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Priyas, Mr Devender Rana said the people cannot be dissuaded from their chosen path of being the part of the country’s growth story, with equal opportunities to all, irrespective of region, religion or caste.(KNS).