NC will come up with comprehensive program for rehabilitation of stone pelters: Omar

Pulwama: Alleging that all the major gains in decreasing the foot print of security forces, mellowing down of Public Safety Act (PSA) and efforts to do away with AFSPA were put into a chasm by the former PDP-BJP led government, vice president of the National Conference (NC) Omar Abdullah on Saturday said his party will come up with a comprehensive program for rehabilitation of stone pelters.
Once NC comes to power will make renew efforts to bring respite to people, former Chief Minister Omar said at an election meeting here today.
He said that the party will come up with comprehensive program for rehabilitation of stone pelters. “I have already taken an undertaking that once in power with a strong mandated government we will obliterate PSA from the law books of the state.
During my previous stint as CM, I brought some changes to the PSA law to make it more juvenile friendly. In my tenure, I raised the issue of decreasing the foot print of armed forces in various areas; my government actually did lessen the grid of bunkers, he claimed and said that he made earnest efforts to impress on the need of removing AFSPA from the areas where situation was considerably peaceful.
However the PDP-BJP was not able to keep up the momentum of my good work. Today we have a situation where our highways have been snatched from us. What good was achieved by bringing down the foot prints of security forces.
He further added, “Today PDP president Mehbooba has bequeathed such a situation in Kashmir that she herself is not able to canvass for parliamentary elections in Kashmir, particularly in the south Kashmir areas. It is NC candidate Justice (retd) Hasnain Masoodi who has taken a lead, in making a point to visit all the poll bound areas of south Kashmir, he said. “ I am sure that the enthusiasm of the people of south Kashmir will give more clout to him to work for the protection of Art 370, Art 35-A both inside and outside the parliament.”
Omar while censuring the Modi led coalition government with BJP said, “Had the BJP government been able to deliver on any of its promises it made to the people of India in the run up for 2014 elections, it would not have hunched to low to seek votes in the name of Balakot, and Pulwama. We see them not speaking on their achievements. Their raising of emotive issues is rather an oblique acceptance of failure by them. However people have made it a point to teach them a lesson for squandering the precious mandate of 2014.”
While referring to Art 370, Art 35 A as the articles of faith for National Conference, Omar said, “The articles ensure the citizenry of our state certain unbridgeable rights in jobs, land rights and scholarships; any move to scuttle the articles will have far reaching consequences on the people of the state. So it is imperative for the people across the state in particular the people of south kashmir to vote for NC. This time every vote you cast will set the recourse of our state for the next half a decade. This time you will be voting for securing your identity which is facing unbridled attacks from all sides.”