Defending re-arrest of senior separatist leader Masarat Alam, Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed on Tuesday said the arrest was necessitated due to his (Masarat’s) “own deeds”. He denied having succumbed to any pressure to arrest the separatist leader but said certain things were unacceptable. “I watched him (Masarat) on television. It was his deeds. Some things are unacceptable”, Mufti said while describing Alam as a responsible person “but certain things cannot be accepted”.
Sayeed was speaking to reporters after customary re-opening of Government offices in summer capital Srinagar following biennial shifting of the seat of power from winter capital Jammu. While Mufti was accorded Guard of Honour by a contingent of police on the New Secretariat premises, a protesting legislator Engineer Rashid was denied access by the police to enter the Secretariat and bundled in a vehicle to escort him back to his residence. Scores of Opposition Congress workers led by JKPCC chief GA Mir also held a protest demonstration against the coalition Government's “anti-people” policies. Shut shops and deserted business establishments marked the first day of Mufti's Government in Srinagar even as hundreds of shopkeepers protested against “lackadaisical approach” of the Government to offer relief package to victims of devastating 2014 floods.
Mufti, however, said that his Government's priority was to reach out to every flood victim in the State. He asked the people to exhibit patience with the PDP-BJP Government. “It will take time to restore the system on track. My Government has completed two months only but some people feel it has been years”, he said adding, “The change would not occur overnight”. Asked if Masarat Alam's arrest went against his mantra of “battle of ideas in democracy”, he said that certain positions taken by people were not acceptable and action as per law has been taken in those cases.
He dismissed Opposition National Conference (NC) and Congress's allegations of mis-governance and said that the Government requires more time to show results on ground. “I want to move forward rather than digging into past”, he said referring to nine years of governance by the two Opposition parties. He said restoration of flood-damaged infrastructure and improvement of roads including the national highways, were his priority areas.
“There is no deficit in the agenda of the alliance of the coalition Government. It needs time to set the system right”, Mufti flanked by Health Minister lal Singh and Education Minister Naeem Akhtar said. Deputy Chief Minister and BJP senior Nirmal Kumar Singh was conspicuous by his absence. The Chief Minister said a new recruitment policy has been announced by the Government to speed up filling up of vacancies so that the jobs are provided to educated youth in a transparent and time-bound manner.
Regarding the financial position of the State, Chief Minister asserted that there is no financial crunch. He said there are two aspects of Government spending, one relating to the routine expenditure of the State and the other with specific reference to relief and rehabilitation. “The first one is being met despite previous liabilities,” he said.
As regards relief and rehabilitation, Mufti Sayeed said the Government is in the process of finalising the source of funding the rehabilitation expenditure with the Central Government. Referring to setting up of NITI Aayog, the Chief Minister said there has been a change in the system of financial management at the Central level, which is impacting all the States. He said we are expecting that basic contours of funding will be finalised very shortly.
Referring to the unprecedented floods of 2014, Mufti Sayeed said the new Government was committed to the rehabilitation of victims, which will be carried out on priority. He said the State was confronted with another threat of flood which was thwarted by timely management and following a proper flood drill. “We have provided a token of compensation to uninsured marginal traders and destitute, who lost everything in the September 2014 deluge. The people who have suffered damage to their property and trade at a higher scale are also being compensated,” he assured.
Referring to his focus on tourism sector, Mufti Sayeed described it as the lifeline of State's economy as it is the only sector that provides instant relief to the people. He said there is a need to change the negative perception about J&K in the rest of the country, which is affecting its image as an ideal tourist destination.
Outside the Civil Secretariat, police had tough time to restrict march of hundreds of traders on Maulana Azad Road who wanted to stage demonstration outside the Secretariat. Police fired tear-smoke shells to disperse the protesters. Earlier, a group of protesters attacked police parties with stones in Maisuma locality. The traders were demanding adequate compensation to the flood-affected people.