Jammu, Feb 6 Asserting that all sections of society in Jammu & Kashmir were today feeling betrayed, the People's Democratic Party on Thursday said that the Centre must move beyond rhetoric and allow democratic and political process to resume in the new Union Territory.
"The affirmation of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi that Jammu & Kashmir is crown jewel of India and the people here have strong faith in Bharatiya Janata Party is contrary to the situation on ground and the figures provided by the government itself present a depressing picture," former legislator and party spokesperson Firdous Tak said.
"As per official figures 444 people have been detained under draconian Public Safety Act, across Jammu & Kashmir post-August 5, besides those who have been illegally kept under detention just for having a contrary opinion over the government's decision to abrogate Article 370 and downgrading the state to a Union Territory," Tak said adding that illegal and unjustified detention of three former Chief Ministers and former legislators "itself amounts to coercion".
He said that when the Prime Minister recalls the statements made by the former chief minister regarding special status of Jammu & Kashmir, he failed to mention the sacrifice leaders and workers from mainstream political parties have made for the country.
"Today the same people who sworn oath of constitution and serve the nation are being questioned and targeted", he said adding that be it unemployed youth, government employees, business community, traders, transporters or any section of the society, everyone is feeling the pain of losing statehood and special identity.
"The BJP's 'Jinn' of development is yet to come out of the bottle and instead everything which the people of Jammu & Kashmir so proudly owned is being snatched under a planned conspiracy," he said adding that the void between administration and general masses has widened.
He said that instead of rhetoric the Union government must restore democracy and allow political process to be resumed in Jammu & Kashmir. "There was no alternative to sincere and meaningful political outreach through dialogue and reconciliation".
( With inputs from IANS )