'Widespread disillusionment' in J-K due to PDP: Omar

National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah today blamed the PDP for the "widespread disillusionment" and "disenchantment" in Jammu and Kashmir, and said the state witnessed "destruction and alienation" from the very day the party formed an alliance with the BJP.

"PDP's consistent U-turns, broken promises and the summary betrayal of the 2014 mandate created widespread disillusionment and disenchantment in the Valley and led to an unprecedented deterioration of the situation as is being witnessed today," Omar said at a party delegates' convention for Chrar-e-Sharief Assembly constituency at Budgam.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former chief minister Late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed joining hands was akin to "ridiculing the mandate and the aspirations of the people".

"The injustice, persecution and oppression that has been perpetuated against the people especially the youth since the past three and a half years has no parallel in the state's history. The situation has deteriorated to the extent of hopelessness as our youth have been deceived for rank political opportunism," he said.

The NC vice-president said the PDP sought votes in 2014 on a number of planks and promises – the foremost plank being that the party would keep the BJP out of power in the state and safeguard the state's political identity and interests.

"However, as soon as the election results were out, the PDP embraced the BJP with the sole aim of coming to power. To safeguard the interests of the state, the NC and Congress offered unconditional support to the PDP and Late Mufti Sahab, but sadly the PDP chose to go ahead with its plan and allied with the BJP.

"We made it abundantly clear at that point of time that we would neither ask for any ministerial berths nor any perks of power and that our support was unconditional with the singular intention of safeguarding the state's interests. Despite this offer, the PDP aligned with the powers that have long been perceived to be behind the party's inception," he said.

Omar said not a single promise made in the 'Agenda of the Alliance' was fulfilled as Union ministers in the BJP-led Central government openly ridiculed the common minimum programme between the alliance partners.

"Neither was a dialogue process initiated with Pakistan nor were talks started with the Hurriyat Conference. The promise of seeking and achieving the return of power projects was shot down publicly by the Union power minister – and our CM chose to remain silent and didn't utter a single word in protest.

"The promise that AFSPA would be revoked from the state turned out to be a cruel joke with the youth as wave after wave of repression and persecution was unleashed by a deeply unpopular state government," the NC vice-president said.

He said under the PDP' rule, successive attempts were made to inflict harm on the state's special constitutional position and status with the PDP "acting as a facilitator for such intrigues and plans".

"Our fiscal autonomy was eroded by the extension of the GST Bill to the state and National Acts were extended to J-K without even token resistance offered by the PDP. I fail to understand how Mehbooba Mufti can still claim to have worked to safeguard Article 35 A and Article 370 when the state's special status was harmed and irrevocably weakened under her watch and with her full support,” he said.

He said the situation in the state has "deteriorated" to an extent where educated youth, professors and children of serving police personnel are choosing the path of the gun despite opportunities of employment and education that they have.

"This is a result of the PDP-BJP government's anti-youth policies and suppression of youth over the past three and a half years," Omar said.

The former chief minister said "clandestine efforts" were underway to further fragment the people of the state and weaken the state internally through such sinister ploys.

"Unfortunately New Delhi remains invested in the approach of dividing and fragmenting the representation of the state. Such tactics will have a disastrous effect on the future of the state and will plunge the state into further chaos and turmoil.

"The people should beware of these machinations and resist all such covert attempts. Unity is the best response to thwart these games," he said.