JOIN USGround situation in J&K belies BJP’s developmental claims post Article 370 abrogation: PAGD
The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) on Friday claimed that the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir was contrary to the BJP government’s claims of development post abrogation of special status of the erstwhile state.
In a statement, CPM leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, who is also the spokesperson of the PAGD, alleged that a systematic disempowerment of the people was being carried out through bureaucratic rule in the region.
While reacting to a recently released report by the Union Home ministry titled “The dream of one nation, one law, one symbol fulfilled: After effective removal of the provisions of Article 370, the picture has changed: a new start in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh" he said these claims are far from the reality.
“The claims of the BJP government that the abrogation of Article 370 has paved the way for new industries, created new employment opportunities, decreased terror incidents, brought atmosphere of peace and security, nurtured democracy, eradicated corruption, brought new Central laws for betterment of people in this region are nothing but a concocted and fabricated stories,” he said.
The PAGD is an alliance of National Conference, PDP, CPM, Peoples Movement and ANC - formed in October last by Kashmir-centric leaders with the pledge towards restoration of the special status of J&K, which was revoked by the Centre in August 2019.
The alliance spokesperson said the projects mentioned in the MHA report were mostly approved by the earlier governments “but shown to have been the outcome of abrogation of Article 370.”
Watch latest videos by DH here:
“Reality is that Nashri Tunnel, Zojilla Tunnel, establishment of 50 degree colleges and various medical colleges are projects approved much before the abrogation of Article 370,” he said.
Similarly, Tarigami said, on 7 November, 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Srinagar announced a reconstruction programme during the PDP-BJP coalition government of about Rs 80,000 crore to strengthen the social-economic infrastructure and for the development of Jammu & Kashmir.
“It is claimed that after the re-organisation of the erstwhile state, 53 projects of Rs 58,477 crores in J&K and nine projects of Rs 21,441 crore in Ladakh are under progress which is part of the PM’s 2015 package. How can you attribute this progress to the abrogation of Article 370?” he asked.
The PAGD statement reads that it was really baffling and misleading to claim high moral ground in implementing the PM Kisan Scheme and PMAY.
“Jammu and Kashmir is getting benefitted the same way as other states and UTs. claiming to implementation of Jammu & Kashmir under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Scheme in which 4.4 lakh beneficiaries have been verified in this scheme, 1.77 lakh treatments have been authorised in the hospitals of J&K, for which, an amount of Rs 146 crores has been authorised. Simple question is what relevance it has with the abrogation of Art 370. This scheme is in vogue in the rest of India as well. So attributing this to abrogation of Art 370 is not correct,” it added.
Tarigami said the slogan of “development”, in short, is a red herring. “The presence of Article 370 was not an impediment in the overall development of the State as claimed by the government. All government data and surveys indicate a marked improvement in almost all human development indices in the State,” he added.