Opposition Leader in Rajya Sabha and former Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, on Monday raised apprehensions about the federal government’s decision to merge JK Civil Services Cadre with Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Goa.
During his speech as a member of the Upper House, Azad said both Home Minister and Prime Minister have promised that statehood will be restored and the status of Union Territory is temporary.
He said that merging of Civil Services Cadre is irrelevant. Such moves are raising doubts in the minds of people, he added. He urged the government to restore statehood and conduct elections in Jammu Kashmir as soon as possible. The reasons cited by BJP government to abrogate Article 370, Azad compared the present situation of industries in Jammu Kashmir to pre-August 5 situation.
Azad said, no industry has been set up in J&K, some have shut and employees of industries have left their jobs. He added there is no development taking place, I can only see that on television not on ground. Azad added that “Article 370 only gave two privileges to people of Jammu Kashmir— outsiders couldn’t buy land or work there. This was the case since Maharaja Hari Singh’s time.”
“It is because the state is mountainous. Most of the land is forest. Even I couldn’t afford to buy land there. Prices are also on the higher side in the State,” he said.
He said the 30 kilometer road stretch from Batote to Banihal is still incomplete from last 7 years.
He said there is still no train connectivity to the region. “People are facing a water crisis. Electricity tariff has gone up. “If elected government would have been there, there might have been some respite. The responsibility of an elected representative cannot be performed by a government officer.”
Azad said under Rehbar-E-Taleem around 3000 people were appointed.
“They are getting Rs. 3000 per month even though they have Doctor of Philosophy, LLB, M.A and M.Phil degrees,” he said. He said there is a probation period of seven years which is ironically.
“Nobody is there to listen to them. This is why statehood is of utmost necessity,” he said.
“You must restore statehood as soon as possible in J&K. It is a border state and our enemy is sitting on our heads from both ends- Pakistan and China. Any intelligent person can see that one can fight Pakistan and China simultaneously but one should first mend the relationship with JK.”
Azad said the number of ceasefire violations have increased sharply.
Questioning Defense Minister, Raj Nath Singh, Azad said, “Why is your rule, there is a surge in ceasefire violations? When UPA was in power only 550 violations took place in 10 years.”
Azad said that only last year 5133 violations took place and in the year 2019 over 3000 violations took place. He said, “Is there a fault in our foreign policy as most of our neighbors have distanced from us?” He said such incidents bring multiple miseries to the people of JK.
“I want the government to give compensation to those who lost their lives, homes, livestock and crops,” Azad demanded.
“You are making Kashmir a guinea pig for experiments. There was PM, President, CM, Governor and now we only have an LG. These are all experiments,” he said.
Azad concluded his speech with an Urdu couplet, addressed to the Home Minister Amit Shah, “Ek raat sai aap nay umeedoon pe kya rakha hai, Hum ne aaj tak chiragoon ko jala rakha hai.”