Ms.Mehbooba mufti,
President,
Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party,
Srinagar
Dear Ms. Mufti:
First of all I extend my most sincere condolences to you for the irreparable loss of your father. I understand that at this juncture, you must be going through a very intense emotional journey, however, the fate of the entire state is rested on your shoulders and the decision that you take viz-a-viz government formation will have a deep and long bearing on all the state subjects.
Despite the unnatural alliance that your party entered into after getting majority of assembly seats, I somehow managed to convince myself that PDP-BJP alliance would create a good ruling history but unfortunately and as envisaged by many, it went the other way round. People of Kashmir invested tremendous trust in your party ideology and rejected the comparatively older and bigger regional mainstream political players of J&K.
It is a matter of fact that controversies has remained a hallmark of the ten months of your governance in 2015. Communal deaths, controversial issues and poor governance took the center stage and the agenda of alliance was buried under hate, vote bank politics and deceit. After the tragic demise of your party patron Mufti Mohammad Syed, His Excellency Governor of J&K took the charge of Jammu & Kashmir state and once again the people of the state were deprived of an elected Government. The misfit of the odd has created this situation and it might happen in future as well. Before you again take the decision of going with the odds, I have a dozen of questions in my heart to which I am not able to find relevant answers. All these questions are in the light of your election manifesto and Agenda of Alliance.
What good has the last collation done for the people of Jammu & Kashmir? What has been done for the families of flood victims who still are lingering in the makeshift shelters? Mam, your government claimed to be clean, accountable and help the People of Kashmir through every thick and thin. But it is also a fact that youth were slapped with a stipend based job policy, retired people were hired again and corruption only grew bigger in last ten months. Mam, what happened to the fund that was to be delivered to the traders of Jammu & Kashmir for the upliftment of their trade? The business community of the state is on ventilator mode and waiting with hopeful eyes that the elected government will help in rehabilitating their debt and trade.
Your party has also promised return of power projects. Even one of your MPs from Srinagar raised the question in parliament, but nobody from the state assembly backed the demand. The response from the union power ministry was an outright rejection. Your legislatures did not even bother to utter a single word of support in the state assembly.
Mam, your party has also promised the phased abrogation of AFSPA from the state but ironically police and armed forces are getting brutal every passing day. You during your times in opposition has criticized use of pellet guns and ban on Moharram procession, you seem to have forgot everything. What happened to your promise of freeing lacs of Kanals of land that the army has occupied in cities, villages and forests? These unfortunately came up with a candy coated wrapper for the Kashmiris and the fact is that your collation partner never allowed you to remove the wrapper.
The last ten months have given me sleepless nights. My dignity and my identity have been repeatedly attacked-Sometimes through Beef Bans and sometimes on my rights as a state-subject. Our flag, our identity is at risk. You have a greater responsibility to protect it and earn it the respect that it deserves.
Maam since you are taking over as the chief of the green brigade of PDP, its very necessary for you to take lessons from the past, assess the prevailing public mood and move towards the future with a mission- A mission to give that healing touch on which the green legacy of the late Mufti rests. A lot of people still have faith in you and its never late to correct your course. You have options, please open your eyes and think beyond immediate benefits. If you care for your peoples sentiments, the first P in your PDP will never let you down in future.
Thanking You
Huma Bhat
Silkyn97@gmail.com
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