Though self projection is inalienable part of politics as without self projection no political worker can take a lead role in and outside the party but unfortunately PDP’s one of the tallest leaders Ab Rehman Veeri has accused party’s expelled leader Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari of “self projection” without daring to utter even a single word about the way PDP President Mehbooba Mufti choose to implement the idea for empowerment of her own family as Chief Minister of the state. Against the whims and wishes of senior party leaders Mehbooba Mufti nominated her brother Tasaduq Mufti for legislative council and before his nomination to the legislative council she inducted him into the state cabinet with Tourism portfolio which she and her late father did not allocate to any other minister. The intents of keeping the prized tourism portfolio shows how Mufti tended to play with the idea of self empowerment. Though her brother Tassaduq Mufti could not even correctly read out the script of the oath placed in his hand but the same did not stop her from giving him the prized tourism portfolio. Had any other minister spelled incorrectly his oath script Mehbooba Mufti would not have only drop him from the council of ministers but would have also suspend him from the party for some time. Though usually mainstream parties choose to nominate only those for the legislative council who loose elections by a thin margin of few hundred votes but Mehbooba instead of choosing senior party leaders who lost the previous assembly elections by very thin margins choose to nominate her own brother Tasaduq Mufti to the legislative council.
Veteran Veeri perhaps has no idea about the rising political awakening increasing unprecedentedly the trends of people’s empowerment and not family empowerment.
Ironically the legislative council seats reserved for people known for their laudable contributions in art, culture, literature and allied fields were filled by the people who are not even remotely connected with the field of art, culture and literature in the year 2015 when late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was the Chief Minister of PDP-BJP coalition government. Personal liking or disliking within her own family was the part of her own “self rule” idea as she choose to project her own brother Tasaduq Mufti against her own cousin Sajad Mufti whose political traits were liked and acknowledged even by late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed during his life time. After the taking over as Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti choose to name her maternal uncle Sajad Mufti as party Vice President only to keep the control of both the party and the government with only trusted men of her own family. The row over the selection of Madni’s son exposed Mehbooba Mufti’s ideas of “self projection” and “self rule” for the empowerment of the trusted people of her own family. Had any other Chief Minister been cornered over the charges of favouratism in selection of candidates for the prized position of Executive Officer in the famed J&K Khadi & Village Industries Board (J&K KVIB) he would have sacked Vice Chairman KVIB and suspended all the officers connected with the selection process till the outcome of a time bound fact finding inquiry. More can be said about the self empowerment of Muftis’ and their cohorts during 10 month long PDP-BJP coalition rule under the leadership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and 23 month long coalition rule under the leadership of Mehbooba Mufti in the state but space in the editorial column is the only constraint to put up more details over Mehbooba’s idea of family empowerment.Veteran Veeri perhaps has no idea about the rising political awakening increasing unprecedentedly the trends of people’s empowerment and not family empowerment.
