Srinagar, Sep 19: Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Sunil Sharma on Saturday questioned the Omar Abdullah-led government over what he described as its repeated use of “statehood” as a response to basic public grievances, asking why the government was in office if it lacked the authority to address routine issues.

Addressing a public interaction programme in Srinagar, Sharma said people were approaching the government with problems related to water, electricity, roads, schools, hospitals and jobs but were repeatedly being told that the administration lacked the required powers.

“For every issue, whether small or big, the only answer that comes from the government and government machinery is that we have no powers,” Sharma said.

He said the elected government had completed two years but people were still facing frustration and confusion.

“The popular government has completed two years, and throughout these two years, we have brought the poor people to a position of frustration and confusion,” he said.

Sharma said the Opposition had a responsibility to engage with people when the government failed to address their concerns. He said his party’s legislative group would take up issues raised by people in the upcoming Assembly session and also pursue matters requiring intervention from the Centre.

He, however, questioned the government’s explanation that several problems could not be addressed because Jammu and Kashmir had not yet regained statehood.

“Where pipes had to be connected, where poles and wires were required, where schools needed staff, where hospitals needed doctors and paramedics, where potholes on roads had to be filled, for every issue the same answer was received — statehood is not there,” he said.

Sharma then questioned the purpose of the elected government and the Assembly if statehood was being cited as the answer to basic administrative problems.

“If at the end of two years we say that we need statehood even to install poles, wires and pipes, and we need statehood even to provide staff, then why are we in government? Why are we in the Assembly?” he asked.

He went further and said the government should consider dissolving the present arrangement rather than continue for the full five-year term if it believed it could not function without statehood.

“If after two years we still have the same answer, I feel that after five years the same answer will be repeated,” Sharma said.

He said unemployment, particularly among young people, would be among the major issues for the Opposition during the upcoming Assembly session. Referring to data presented during the interaction, he said people aged between 19 and 29 accounted for more than 32% of Jammu and Kashmir’s population.

“This section is the largest in Jammu and Kashmir’s population and is currently under stress and depression,” Sharma said, arguing that many young people had no income to support their parents, pay for siblings’ education or meet family responsibilities.

He also criticised the government’s approach to recruitment and outsourcing, claiming that 25,000 jobs had already been occupied through outsourcing.

“You have occupied 25,000 jobs. I say this with a guarantee that these 25,000 will not be advertised again,” he said.

Sharma said outsourced employees could themselves begin demanding regularisation in the future, adding that workers from different government schemes and departments were already seeking regularisation.

He also accused the government of trying to play the role of the Opposition while retaining the privileges of being in power.

“The unfortunate thing is that the people sitting in government also want to do the work of the Opposition,” Sharma said. “The government also wants to remain in the Opposition, but wants to enjoy all the power.”

On the upcoming Assembly session, Sharma said there were numerous issues to be raised but questioned the limited number of sitting days.

He also contrasted the government’s claim that Jammu and Kashmir had more Assembly sittings, on average, than some other states, with the region’s specific problems.

“Jammu and Kashmir’s issues are different. There are so many issues here on a single platform. So a response like this makes a person ask: where should we go, whom should we speak to?” he said.

Sharma also defended the Opposition’s public outreach programme, saying it was intended to hear people’s grievances and take them to the appropriate forums.

On statehood, he said the issue should not be used as a blanket explanation for administrative shortcomings.

“I am raising the slogan of statehood only to strengthen my vote bank,” he said, while adding that statehood was not preventing the government from dealing with most of the issues being raised by people.

Sharma’s remarks came ahead of the upcoming Assembly session, with the BJP seeking to focus attention on unemployment, recruitment, public services and what it describes as the government’s failure to address people’s day-to-day grievances.

Srinagar, Sep 19: Jammu and Kashmir Police in Anantnag have arrested seven drug peddlers in separate actions and recovered substantial quantity of contraband substances from their possession.

A police spokesperson said that a police party from Police Station Srigufwara apprehended three drug peddlers at Hatigam Crossing while they were travelling on a Scooty bearing registration number JK13K-5967. The accused were identified as Jahangir Ayoub son of M. Ayoub Fashoo resident of Zirpara Bijbehara, Amanul Azam son of Ab. Waheed Dar resident of Dogripora, Awantipora and Sahib Amin son of M. Amin Dar resident of Dogripora, Awantipora. During search, 1.378 Kgs of Ganja and 12 grams of Charas were recovered from their possession. 

In another action, two drug peddlers were apprehended by PS Srigufwara at Nowshara Crossing. They were identified as Basit Rashid Bhat son of Ab. Rashid resident of Hugam and Mujeeb Mudasir Bhat son of Mudasir Mukhtar resident of Khiram Durpora. 1.740 Kgs of Ganja was recovered from their possession, he said.

Moreover, a police party from Police Post Sherbagh apprehended Mohd Rafiq Mochi son of Habib-ullah Mochi resident of Furrah, Mirbazaar at Sarnal Chicken Mohalla on High Ground Road. During search, 20 grams of Charas was recovered from his possession. Similarly, a  police party of Police Post Sangam apprehended Muna son of Makho resident of Kehri Lakempora, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, in the Sangam area while he tried to attempt to flee. During search, 23 grams of Charas was recovered from his possession. 

Accordingly, cases under relevant sections of law have been registered at respective police stations and further investigation has been initiated, spokesperson said.

Police reiterated its firm resolve to dismantle the drug network and take strict legal action against those involved in drug trafficking and peddling.

Pahalgam, Sep 19: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said Pahalgam was once again showing signs of revival, as visitors from India and abroad arrived for a Rotary International golf tournament.

“The big thing is that, by the grace of Allah, Pahalgam is shining again,” Abdullah said while speaking in the resort town.

He said the golf tournament had brought participants from Nepal, overseas, Dubai and different parts of India, describing their response to Pahalgam and its people as encouraging.

“I am happy to see that they are extremely delighted to see how beautiful this area is and how much love the people have for their arrival,” he said.

Abdullah said tourism remained central to Jammu and Kashmir’s economy and called for greater efforts to promote the sector.

“We believe that without tourism, there is nothing in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said. “The more we promote it, the more benefit it will bring to our people.”

Asked about global tensions and recent attacks in the region, Abdullah expressed hope that the ongoing conflicts would end soon.

“Unfortunately, there are two wars going on — in Ukraine and between Iran, America and Israel,” he said, adding that the economic consequences of the conflicts were being felt around the world.

“The world today wants this war to stop and for peace to return there,” he said.

On a reported drone attack on Makkah, Abdullah said responsibility had not yet been established, noting that both the Houthis and Iran had denied involvement.

“It is not yet completely clear who did it,” he said. “But someone else is carrying this out.”

Abdullah added: “But I hope, Inshallah, this will end very soon and peace will return to the world.”