NC, PDP don’t want peace in Kashmir: Governor

SRINAGAR: Governor Satya Pal Malik on Thursday said the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did not want peace in the state as they were more interested in their “own empowerment”.

Malik was addressing a gathering in Jammu district, said he requested both former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti to participate in panchayat elections as it would benefit and empower the people of the state.

“But they decided to boycott the elections because they did not want empowerment of the people. They wanted their own empowerment. They were afraid of the panchayat elections and that is why they decided to boycott the polls. But we decided to hold the elections for the betterment of people,” Malik said while recalling that he broke the protocol and visited both leaders.

He again urged the gun-wielding youth of Kashmir to shun the path of violence, saying it was no solution to any problem. “Some people have presumed that nothing can happen without the gun. Hurriyat leaders and mainstream parties (referring to NC and PDP) should know that violence won’t change anything. Some politicians in Kashmir want that youngsters should die so that they can blackmail New Delhi,” Malik said.

Earlier Satya Pal Malik said that the militancy in Kashmir is not in guns but in brains, saying that the killings even that of militants is painful.

Governor Malik said that the security forces including Jammu and Kashmir Police is doing fine in dealing with the militancy. “I always appreciate them and took every possible step for them so far,” he said.

He added that the security forces including were facing tough challenge as they are carrying out the operations even in snowfall and midnights.

Complementing forces for their job, Governor Malik further stated that “though the security forces are doing fine job in the Valley in dealing with the militancy but the killings even that of militants is always painful and we want them to return.”

“The militancy in Kashmir is not in the guns but in brains. So, we are trying to eradicate that from the minds of people as militancy is no solution and can’t help in resolving real issues,” he added.

On the other side National Conference working president Omar Abdullah said that if his party is voted to power in the upcoming assembly elections it will scrap the Public Safety Act.

“Mein Eska Naam-o-Nishaan Mitadoonga (I will not leave a trace of it,” he said addressing a daylong convention in Pulwama.

Abdullah said that the governments are for making lives better and not to increase the difficulties of the people.

He said that youth will not be arrested under PSA and parents will not be bothered that if their children are booked under this act they will disappear for times inside the jail system.

“Governments are for making lives better not to increase the difficulties by the people,” he said, while promising that once in Power NC will scrap the law that has been misused to imprison young people behind the bars.

“We have seen enough of handicapped governments where we remain at the mercy of someone. Late Mufti (Muhammad Sayeed) was there (CM) courtesy (Ghulam Nabi) Azad and Azad was CM thanks to Mufti. And I remained in power for six years because of Congress support,” Omar said.

Recently, Farooq Abdullah, Patron of NC had said that if they are voted to power with absolute majority, they will bring in the autonomy resolution within a month.

“If am blessed with good health by Allah and we’re voted to power with absolute majority, I promise that I will make this happen (regional autonomy) within 30 days after assuming power.”