Valley streets have turned killing fields: Mufti

Srinagar, June 14: Expressing his deep concern over the fast deteriorating public order in the State, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Monday asserted that the streets in Srinagar and other parts of Valley have turned as ‘killing fields’. He asked the government to look beyond cosmetics, photo ops, bullet and bayonet and address people’s problems seriously.Terming the present coalition as a ‘cosmetic dispensation’, Mufti in a statement issued here said the government was concerned only about managing the fallout of misgovernance and atrocities rather than working with any vision, agenda or a heart. “The more it looks up to galleries the more it gets cut off from the roots fuelling anger, alienation and instability,” he said.PDP patron said instead of understanding the pain and problems of people and trying to reduce them, the government had brought the state to a virtual anarchy in a matter of months. “While the streets in Srinagar and other parts of the valley have become killing fields, law and order has crumbled in other parts of the state as well with development being nobody’s business. In Jammu the criminals have taken over threatening life and property while the use of brutal force on the students at BGS University is another pointer to the emerging chaotic conditions,” he said. Regretting that the mishandling of the situation and government’s careless attitude on governance front had caused all round difficulties, Mufti cautioned it could get out of control if the drift remained unaddressed. “All sections of society are dissatisfied and collapse of administration was being sought to be made good through thoughtless and excessive use of force against unarmed youth. No government can handover itself and public affairs to police and hope to carry along the people in the process of governance and development” he said.He said government’s inability to deliver had resulted in wasting the gains of previous years which were made through a painstaking process in which the people had participated with conviction and hope. “It is sad that at a time when relations between India and Pakistan had taken a positive turn the managers of the State had succeeded in reversing the process when it matters the most. India and Pakistan can achieve pretty little unless the people of the State repose confidence into their efforts as had happened after 2002 elections. J&K will have to lead the process of resolution and friendship. I don’t see that happening as long as innocent people are killed, opposition muzzled and all dissent crushed with the use of brutal force and laws like AFSPA and PSA” Mufti said.