Centre Sold Dreams to People in J&K, Fulfilled None: Mehbooba

SRINAGAR: Asserting that the credibility of her late father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was at stake,Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said successive governments in New Delhi "sold dreams" to the people of Jammu and Kashmir which have remained unfulfilled till date.

Justifying her Peoples Democratic Party's alliance with the BJP, Mehbooba said the Centre must take "substantive measures" to fulfil the promises made by the PDP-BJP coalition government.

"Mufti saheb saw a historic opportunity to break new ground in J&K. He joined hands with the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, after two months of negotiations which resulted in formation of the Agenda of the Alliance. Now, it our collective responsibility to implement it," she said.

Mehbooba was speaking during the foundation stone laying ceremony of three new medical colleges that will come up in Anantnag, Rajouri and Baramulla districts of the state. Union health minister JP Nadda, who accompanied her, also announced setting up of two cancer institutes in the state.

“Lots of dreams were sold to the people in the last so many decades without fulfilling anyone of them. There is a trail of unkept promises with the people of the state which has led to loss of faith among the masses in mainstream leaders," she said.

Appreciating the Centre for aiding in strengthening the health infrastructure by announcing three medical colleges and two AIIMS-like institutions for the state, Mehbooba said other issues in the alliance agenda, including in the defence and power sectors demand similar attention.

Among other issues, the alliance agenda talks about wresting back of two key power projects from the NHPC and revocation of the draconian AFSPA from areas of the state where militancy has ebbed and a semblance of normalcy has returned.

“The credibility of my father and that of the coalition government depends on action taken report on the Agenda of Alliance, which can turn around the fortunes of the state over the next five years,” she said.

Criticising the national electronic media for covering "negative news" in the state, Mehbooba said TV channels spread hatred against the people of Jammu and Kashmir across India.

"Few masked youth pelt stones or carry flags and it is flashed on news channels across the country while as they (TV media) never highlight positive things happening in Kashmir,” said Mehbooba, citing the recent selection of Athar Amin, who bagged the second position in the prestigious IAS exam.

“It is the duty of the media to highlight our heroes rather than waste their energy on unending debates that yield nothing but hatred for people of the state in the rest of the country,” she said.