Srinagar, May 09: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti said on Saturday that strict action should be taken against drug peddlers, but innocent families should not suffer by having their houses demolished.

While addressing a party convention in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir said, “If anyone is involved in drug trafficking, they should be jailed, but you should also ask those police personnel who release them after taking money from them. Why are their houses being bulldozed? What is the fault of the family members? Why are you demolishing their houses? There is no justice.”

She also criticised chief minister Omar Abdullah over the coercive action, saying, “Omar, if the people had liked bulldozer baba, why would they have voted for you? People voted for you and gave you 50 MLAs thinking you will safeguard them.”

Referring to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s padyatra as part of the Nasha Mukt J-K Abhiyaan in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district earlier in the day, the PDP president alleged that government employees, school teachers and students were directed to arrive for the event at 6:30 am.

“I will not name the person who messaged me at midnight last night. That person said the LG is organising Nasha Mukt Abhjiyaan event in Anantnag, but all employees and schools, including women and girls, have been directed to arrive at 6:30 am. I want to tell the LG that the campaign is a good initiative, but… making them wait, I think, is an excess,” she said.

The PDP chief accused the government of “rampant corruption”, saying deserving youths are denied opportunities while political favoritism dominates recruitment.

Srinagar, May 09: PDP chief-spokesperson and former Parliamentarian, Dr. Mehboob Beg came down heavily on Dr. Farooq Abdullah and the ruling National Conference for having betrayed and eroded the trust of the people by indulging in electoral malpractices in the 1987 election.

While addressing an impressive gathering at PDP’s Budgam rally, Dr. Beg blamed the 1987 election manipulation, one that he attributed to the National Conference as being the reason for discontent and cynicism amongst the common Kashmiri, besides having turned Mohd. Yusuf Shah into Syed Salahuddin. He said the manipulation deprived people of their democratic rights and caused permanent damage in how people in Kashmir perceive local elections. He further remarked that a fair investigation on who did what at that point of time might still help catch the real culprits.

Dr. Beg also blamed Omar Abdullah for not missing on a single opportunity to appease those sitting in New Delhi while constantly suffocating even his own party MLAs who even make an attempt to bring forth any public grievance. “It is insulting for every Kashmiri to see the Chief Minister who was elected to give a democratic voice to their sufferings and grievances bend backwards and make desperate attempts to please those at the helm,” said Dr. Beg.

Srinagar, May 09: The Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, today joined Padyatra at Anantnag as part of “Drug-Free J&K Campaign”. Addressing a public gathering, the Lieutenant Governor appealed to the people to break the silence to win this war against drugs and all sections of society must speak in one voice about the dangers of drug addiction.

“The challenge of drug addiction can be eradicated only through a Whole of Society Approach. From now on, every corner of Union Territory, whether schools, colleges, families, sports grounds, wards, villages, or theater stages, should give a voice to the cause with firm resolve,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor said that in this war against drugs, administration and society must understand the link between drugs and terrorism and everyone should join hands to defeat it.

“Our neighboring country is smuggling drugs into Jammu Kashmir by design. The drug money has been used to build narco-palaces by drug smugglers and a large portion of drug money is being used for terrorism and radicalization. While drugs are ruining the future of Jammu Kashmir’s youth on one hand, on the other, terror outfits are using that money to buy weapons and that are shedding the blood of our brothers and sisters in the UT.

This narco-terror network has inflicted suffering on generations of Jammu Kashmir for decades. That is why I always say: drug addiction and terrorism are not separate challenges but they are two faces of the same problem. And I promise all of you that we will not rest until we defeat it,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor called upon police and civil administration to cover every panchayat of Anantnag, and especially reach out to vulnerable areas of the district in next 71 days of campaign.

“A decisive blow is being dealt to the drug smugglers’ network in Anantnag district. Since 11th April, the highest number of 108 NDPS cases have been registered in Anantnag. Narco-palaces worth Rs. 3.5 crore, built with the black money from drugs, have been reduced to dust. 22 vehicles have been seized, 8 driving licenses and vehicle registrations have been cancelled. 13 drug stores have been sealed for violating the law.

I assure the people of Anantnag that not a single smuggler will be left untouched, and the entire machinery involved in the drug smuggling will be uprooted from its roots,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor stated that the women and youth are the greatest strength of this war on drugs. He said if a family member or a neighbor’s youth is going astray, women and youth club members should bring them back onto the path of correction, and seek the administration’s help if needed.

“I appeal to sportspersons, teachers, and all religious leaders to dedicate the next 71 days with wholehearted commitment to the awareness and rehabilitation campaign, and to pledge to make Jammu Kashmir drug-free.

Religious leaders are regarded as the people’s leaders and guides. I want them to provide spiritual and moral guidance to the youth and to warn them about the dangers of drugs. I want to reiterate that this battle is not just the administration’s. It is a collective battle of society. Let’s make a collective promise that we will not allow drug peddlers to thrive in our villages and neighborhoods. We will rehabilitate the youth who are victims of drugs. I firmly believe that when the people stand up for a purpose, their power increases a thousandfold,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor also reiterated his commitment to ensure justice to every terror victim family.

On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor laid foundation stone for various sports infrastructure development projects worth Rs 20.60 crore in the District. These include Khel Gaon Modern Sports Infrastructure and residential facility  (Khel Bhawan) Stage-I at Jablipora; Expansion of Sports Facilities at Chaki- Kamal Monghal; Reconstruction of Sports complex at Nillandrusu and development of stadium at Harmohalla Ranbirpora.

The Lieutenant Governor said that these sports facilities will channel the energy of the youth in the right direction and strengthen the spirit of discipline and sportsmanship.

He also felicitated the youth icons and distributed sports kits to the youth.

Artists through traditional Nukad Natak, Baand Pather and a Mime play centered on the Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyaan raised awareness about the dangers of drug abuse, encouraging young people to stay healthy and contribute to a drug-free society.

Srinagar, May 09: Leader of the Opposition (LoP) and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sunil Sharma on Saturday alleged that the National Conference (NC) is “on a ventilator” due to an internal “disease” and warned that any “expansion” would lead to a vertical split in the party.

The senior BJP leader claimed that only a few individuals, assigned the task of speaking against the BJP, are responsible for infecting the NC’s internal health. He linked the recent protests at the NC headquarters, Nawai-e-Subah, to the deepening crisis.

“Whatever happened at the NC headquarters is because of those who have been given the duty to speak against us. That is the reason for that disease,” he added.

LoP Sharma asserted that the malady had spread beyond cure. “If they do a small expansion, there will be two outbreaks. The National Conference will be divided into two parts. It will fall like a bag. The disease has gone so deep that they have no cure,” he said.

Drawing a parallel with the Shiv Sena’s split, he said the party had created the crisis itself. “Two Shiv Senas were made by themselves. No matter how much they try, the house is broken. There is a major hole in it, and at any time you will see that this wall has fallen,” Sharma said.

He, however, ruled out any intervention from his side. “Neither do we believe in it,” he added. (KNS)