Srinagar, Mar 19 (KNO) : Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday said Srinagar’s development and prosperity remained party’s core focus since its inception in 1999 and whenever it formed government in the state, Srinagar city witnessed major, vital and unprecedented growth in all sectors. Addressing people at old Srinagar’s Khaniyar area, PDP General Secretary Peerzada Mansoor Hussain took a dig at the Congress- NC government of the past, stating that the duo used Srinagar as the battle ground for vested interests and left it in the middle of squalid conditions to keep the politics of fraudulence alive and intact.
“The past government has the legacy of leaving Srinagar and its dwellers in deep crises so that it could reap the political benefits from the downtrodden and non- affluent classes through the very sadistic means,” Mansoor said. He added that however the PDP government in the past as well as in the present put the lid over the crises in which the summer capital of the state was entangled and didn’t delay a single measure that could restore Srinagar’s lost pride and glory.
The PDP general secretary stated that all the mega-developmental projects that Srinagar received, were approved and completed by the PDP led government. It includes the beautification of Eidgah, construction of Gani Memorial Stadium in Rajoori Kadal, restoration of long forgotten historical Aali Masjid, placing Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid on tourist map, restoration of Shrines like Peer Dastgeer Sahib, Naqshband Sahib (RA) and several others. “When NC and the Congress were in government, they did everything that vandalized Srinagar and virtually dragged it towards the brink of destruction and chaos. It is a fact known to all that not even a single developmental project was launched by the previous government for Srinagar and its chest beating at present is nothing but a mere cry of a thief,” Mansoor said in his address.
He added that the destruction of Srinagar during the catastrophic floods of 2014 was the result of the inefficient attitude and non- serious approach of then NC-Congress government. “They first exposed the city to the catastrophe and when Srinagar got marooned; NC leaders threw bananas at people from army choppers and then gave relief amount of 3700 Rupees to the person who lost everything in floods- such apathy was never witnessed in history,” Mansoor said in his address amid the rousing applause from the crowd. The PDP General Secretary said the present government led by the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has made it as the prime objective to get the people of Srinagar out of uncertainty and make the entire dispensation work on toes for making Srinagar the hub of rich culture, ethos and glory once again.
“The opposition that is busy in loser’s rhetoric at present should be questioned about what it did for the betterment of the people of Srinagar when it was in the government. On the contrary, it is the present government that accorded six percent of reservation in jobs and other government schemes for Srinagar’s downtrodden and provided them a platform to witness new horizons of prosperity and growth,” Mansoor said. Assuring people that other major projects for the old city of Srinagar are in the offing, Mansoor said that in Chief Minister’s outreach program, the old city will get a prime focus and all its woes and grievances shall get resolved in most dignified way.
“We will do everything that can guarantee a prosperous tomorrow for Srinagar and will never allow anyone to barter the interests of the place for the petty political gains,” Mansoor said in his address. He said that the sincerity of the PDP towards Srinagar’s prosperity could be gauged by the fact that the last visit of PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s life was of Srinagar’s old city on December 24, 2015.
“Mufti sahib never did that for any adulation or political benefit but for Srinagar’s love and regard to the seers the city has been producing in abundance since centuries,” Mansoor said. Besides the PDP General Secretary, Monday’s convention at Khaniyar was also addressed by Education and Finance Minister Syed Altaf Bukhari, MLC Mohammad Khurshid Alam, MLA Batamalo Noor Mohammad and other senior party functionaries. Srinagar’s District President and MLC Mohammad Khurshid Alam slammed the policies of the previous regime for Srinagar, stating that Khaniyar was made a slum with deliberate attempt to reap political benefits.
“The fact is that the place is an abode of rich traditions, heritage and culture. Come what may, PDP is committed to develop it on all fronts and ensure betterment in the lives of old city dwellers.” Alam also assured that the business community of the old city will have a major sigh of relief as efforts are underway to get the perturbed community out of the crises and chaos.(KNO)