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| It is going to be Azad's development card versus emotive slogans of PDP and NC in next poll | | | Gareeb Dass
Jammu | June 18
If the PDP and the opposition National Conference have started raising emotive slogans and issues it is a sign of their vulnerability.Indications are that the leadership of the two premier organisations are haunted by fears of standing on a weak wicket when Chief Minister,Ghulam Nabi Azad,has succeeded in making rapid inroads in areas where,at one stage,the Congress used to be a hated lot.He has been able to do it not with some magic lamp.He has simply shown his mettle in getting several public utility projects completed in a record time.When he had taken in November 2005 he had announced that he would not go in for foundation laying ceremonies simply to see the stones getting stolen but to ensure that the projects were completed on time.The completion of the Yatri Niwas in Jammu and the new Legislature complex in Srinagar within a record time is an instance to prove it.As far as the Legislature complex was concerned the project had been abandoned for several years even after completing 25 per cent of the work.Azad took up the challnege and got it completed within a record time afer the work was carried out in three shifts.
As such one need not blame the PDP for rasing the dual or common currency issue.The PDP has to fight the election and try for securing a simple majority in the Assembly so that it has not to bank on the congress support for forming the Government and hence it should be excused if it raises emotional issues,including the one connected with the transfer of land by the Government to the Amarnath Shrine Board at Baltal for construction of a road and for raising prefabricated huts.Mark the confusion in the PDP.The Minister for Forests,Qazi Mohd.Afzal,who belongs to the PDP,justifies the Government decision which had the approval of the cabinet.However,the Deputy Chief Minister,Muzaffar Hussain Baig,who also belongs to the PDP,has blamed the Congress for having having mounted pressure on its alliance partner while approving transfer of over 380 hectares of land to the Shrine Board at Baltal.The National Conference does not want to remain at the receiving end.It too has criticised the Government for having transferred the forest land to the Shrine Board.Its ;leaders too favour a 15-day yatra duration instead of two months.Do not blame the two organisations if they treat transfer of land to the Shrine Board or the two-month yatra duration nothing else but the cultural aggression and a calculated bid to alter the demographic character of the valley.It is something else if they are wrong in their assessment and analysis.What is important is the strength of the slogans that can win the support of the voters for the PDP and the Congress.
Ghulam Nabi Azad is the first Chief Minister who has introduced competitive culture among the agencies engaged in the construction of roads and buildings by involving the Police Housing Corporation in the construction of mini secretariats at the new district headquarters,hospital buildings besides museum etc.He involved the Police Housing Corporation when he was satisfied with the quality of work being carried out by the Corporation.He was impressed by the way the Corporation has been able to complete the development projects within the stipulated time.Once he did it it rocked the JKPCC,the PWD and the R&B departments which have started taking the works alloted to them seriously.Name any sector,whether it is connected with health,education,agriculture,horticulture,floriculture,sewage system,flood control or irrigation the Azad stamp is quite evident.And if the PDP rakes up the issue of self-rule and the National Conference sings in favour of restoration of greater autonomy they do it to outclass the Congress in general and the Chief Minister in particular as Mr Azad banks on the card of the development of the state.Ghulam Nabi Azad seems to have placed all his eggs in the basket of development.If he were unsure of the impact of playing the development card he too would have played political pranks by opposing Governor S.K.Sinha's decision,as Chairman of the Amarnath Shrine Board,to have a two-month yatra duration.The Chief Minister could have refused the transfer of over 380 hectares of forest land at Baltal to the Shrine Board.He did not do it.And the Governor is on record to have said that his relations with the Chief Minister have remained so cordial that he wished chief Ministers and the Governors in every state in India emulate the system in Jammu and Kashmir.It will be seen whether voters support the deity of development,represented by Ghulam Nabi Azad,or those who rake up emotive slogans which have no bearing on life of people.The ensuing Assembly poll is likely to be a fight between those that believe in raising the standard of living of people and those banking on misleading people through juicy slogans. |
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