As Valley observes shutdown, PM asks Kashmir to vote KISHTWAR/ Srinagar: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday asked the people of Jammu and Kashmir to participate more in the electoral process for a better future for the youth.“Elections express the aspirations and hopes of the people in the true sense. I appeal to the people to participate in this process so that we can together ensure a better future for our younger generations,” he said after laying the foundation stone of the 850 MW Rattle power project here. The Prime Minister said the policies of the government for providing better future for the people of the state will be successful only when all economic and political processes are carried out in a democratic manner. “Elections held at all levels are part of this process,” he added. The Prime Minister’s remarks come in the wake of recent opposition by separatists to people’s participation in the elections due next year.While LokSabha elections are scheduled next year, the Assembly polls in the state are to be held towards the end of 2014. The Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani has called for a boycott of the elections. In her address at Kishtwar , UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday stressed that the ecology and biodiversity should be protected while carrying out development projects. "I believe that the ecology and biodiversity should be protected," Gandhi said while laying the foundation stone of 850-MW Rattle power project in this remote district of Jammu and Kashmir. Gandhi said projects like Rattle should benefit the local population. She expressed hope that the people whose land has been acquired for the project will get adequate compensation. Gandhi said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have shown determination to put the state on the path of peace, progress and development. She also expressed satisfaction over the increasing number of youth from the state qualifying UPSC examinations. "The youth have shown that given an opportunity, they can do well at all levels," Gandhi said. Noting that the central government has launched several schemes for development and employment generation in the state, she said, "The Centre has launched Udaan and Himayat schemes for upgrading employment skills of the youth in the state. "Recently, chief minister Omar Abdullah and Rahul Gandhi launched Umeed scheme for making the women of the state self-reliant," she said. Gandhi said the J-K government has taken several steps for inter-linking many parts of the state. She also applauded Union health minister GhulamNabi Azad, for the leadership shown by him in the state. Meanwhile normal life was completely thrown out of gear in Kashmir valley due to a strike called by separatists to protest against the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday. Separatists groups including both factions of Huriyat Conference and JKLF have called for a general strike. Shops, business establishments, educational institutions, banks and private offices remained closed due to the strike. The effect of the strike was accentuated by a heavy security deployment in view of the VVIP visit and Monday’s militant attack. The security measures were heightened in the wake of the deadly strike by militants that left eight soldiers dead and several others injured. Police and paramilitary CRPF personnel were deployed in large numbers across the city while at some places Army too was conducting foot patrols to prevent the militants from carrying out any further attacks during the high profile visit. The security forces erected barriers after every kilometre to check the antecedents of people and to regulate the movement of the vehicles. Most parts of the old city remained under an undeclared curfew with people forced to stay indoors. The unprecedented security measures caused problems to local residents and tourists as well. Some of the tourists who spoke to media personssaid: “We wish we had never come to this place. It is like a cage.” Octogenarian Syed Ali Shah Geelanihad asked people to observe a complete strike to remind the centre and the world that Kashmir is a “dispute pending a resolution”. Moderate faction of Huriyat Conference headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had also called for a general strike alleging that the Centre was treating Kashmir as an economic issue rather than a political one. “The people of Kashmir are being compelled to take route of protests and strikes as Indian leadership, instead of addressing Kashmir politically, is trying to look at the issue through the prism of economic packages which is unwise and negative politics,” Mirwaiz said. The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front headed by Yasin Malik, while calling for the strike, said the Prime Minister has “failed” in his peace process which proved only an “illusion Later in the day, Prime Minster Dr Manmohan Singh Tsaid that his government would do every possible effort to promote Kashmiri language and its culture across the globe. The Prime Minster was addressing the gathering after launching the postal stamp in the honor of the famous Kashmiri poet Pirzada Ghulam Ahmad Mehjoor at SKICC.Dr Singh while hailing the communal harmony of the Kashmiri nation said that even in the worst times, Kashmiris did not lose its cool and upheld the spirit of communal harmony. “Even in 1947, the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi could see a ray of hope for communal brotherhood in Kashmir only”, said Dr Singh, adding that Kashmiris have been symbol of social values and morality. He lauded the teachings of sufi poets Shaikh Noor ud din Wali RA and Lal Arifa and said that the hearts of Kashmiris are still beating for such revered sufis of the land. Dr Singh also appreciated the works of Shair-e-Kashmir Ghulam Ahmad Mehjoor and said that his teachings and verses carry a universal massage of brotherhood and communal harmony. Meanwhile UPA Chairperson Sonia Ghandi also spoke on the occasion. During her speech, Sonia praised Mehjoor for his outstanding work for the development of Kashmiri language and its values and said that his poetry gave Kashmiri culture a unique identification outside the state. Earlier Chief Minister Omar Abdullah thanked Prime Minster and Sonia Ghandi for hosting the occasion and said that honoring Mehjoor was the landmark occasion in the history of Kashmir. Governor N.N. Vohra,Union Minster Ghulam Nabi Azad and State Congress President Prof. Saif ud din Soz were also present on the occasion. The function was telecast live on Doordarshan.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 03:23:34 +0000
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