<div>The announcement of Rs 80,000 crore economic package for Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday evoked mixed response from political parties of the state. <br /><br />While the ruling PDP-BJP alliance hailed the announcement saying the package has the potential of becoming a turning point in the history of J&K, the Opposition National Conference (NC) and Congress said Modi disappointed the people of the state. <br /><br />Separatists, while rejecting the package, said that money cannot “buy aspirations of Kashmiri people.”<br /><br />PDP president and MP Mehbooba Mufti, while welcoming the economic package, said besides infrastructure rebuilding, it also includes funds for the rehabilitation of the flood-affected households, traders and growers who suffered huge economic losses in the devastating deluge of September 2014. <br /><br />Mehbooba also hailed the prime minister’s announcement of carrying forward and consolidating the initiatives of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on J&K, which he had announced at the same venue in 2003.<br /><br />However, NC working president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah said that the people of J&K were “disappointed” with the prime minister as the announcement of financial package “would not address the political issues” of the state. “We are disappointed. We were prepared for a historic visit which did not happen. We did not get to hear what we wanted to hear. Perhaps we should not have attached too many hopes,” Omar told reporters here.<br /><br />Omar said that economic packages will not resolve the political issue of the state as it had not done in the past.<br /><br />The former chief minister said he was expecting renewal of talks with Pakistan and the alienated sections of the society but a “good opportunity has been lost”. State Congress president G A Mir termed the package a “mere eyewash and a political gimmick to appease his (Modi’s) coalition partner in J&K.” Hitting out at the prime minister, he said that Modi failed to announce much talked about peace initiative.<br /><br />Moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar said that packages cannot resolve decades-old Kashmir dispute.<br /><br />“Modi says ‘Delhi treasury open’ but sadly hearts and minds closed! Kashmir a political issue not economic, money cannot buy Kashmiri aspirations,” he said in a tweet.<br /></div>
<div>The announcement of Rs 80,000 crore economic package for Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday evoked mixed response from political parties of the state. <br /><br />While the ruling PDP-BJP alliance hailed the announcement saying the package has the potential of becoming a turning point in the history of J&K, the Opposition National Conference (NC) and Congress said Modi disappointed the people of the state. <br /><br />Separatists, while rejecting the package, said that money cannot “buy aspirations of Kashmiri people.”<br /><br />PDP president and MP Mehbooba Mufti, while welcoming the economic package, said besides infrastructure rebuilding, it also includes funds for the rehabilitation of the flood-affected households, traders and growers who suffered huge economic losses in the devastating deluge of September 2014. <br /><br />Mehbooba also hailed the prime minister’s announcement of carrying forward and consolidating the initiatives of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on J&K, which he had announced at the same venue in 2003.<br /><br />However, NC working president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah said that the people of J&K were “disappointed” with the prime minister as the announcement of financial package “would not address the political issues” of the state. “We are disappointed. We were prepared for a historic visit which did not happen. We did not get to hear what we wanted to hear. Perhaps we should not have attached too many hopes,” Omar told reporters here.<br /><br />Omar said that economic packages will not resolve the political issue of the state as it had not done in the past.<br /><br />The former chief minister said he was expecting renewal of talks with Pakistan and the alienated sections of the society but a “good opportunity has been lost”. State Congress president G A Mir termed the package a “mere eyewash and a political gimmick to appease his (Modi’s) coalition partner in J&K.” Hitting out at the prime minister, he said that Modi failed to announce much talked about peace initiative.<br /><br />Moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar said that packages cannot resolve decades-old Kashmir dispute.<br /><br />“Modi says ‘Delhi treasury open’ but sadly hearts and minds closed! Kashmir a political issue not economic, money cannot buy Kashmiri aspirations,” he said in a tweet.<br /></div>
