SRINAGAR: Terming ruling National Conference and opposition People’s Democratic Party as “silent dummies acting as pawns of New Delhi, “ the Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) on Wednesday accused Congress party of bringing deliberate suffering to trade and commerce of Kashmir “due to its regional and political bias. “
Referring to recently held Cabinet meeting during which Congress ministers did not allow an ordinance by the government to keep in abeyance sealing and demolition of buildings constructed in violation of the Master Plan, a KEA spokesman said in a statement, “… ceiling of the business houses has to be lifted immediately and Joras and Malhotras cannot come out with alibis on directions of anti-Kashmir lobbies. “
“It is unfortunate that our own regional parties (NC, PDP) are so subservient to the dictates of Congress ministers and its blue-eyed officers that they can change the agenda of Cabinet meetings anytime, “ said the spokesman Siraj Ahmad, adding, “All these maneuvers take place in the Secretariat lobbies, closed door meetings and at the behest of, at times, even BJP and RSS. “
The ordinance was proposed on the recommendations of the House Committee of Legislative Council, which was formulated in October last year. The committee had asked the government to come out with a legal frame work to keep in abeyance sealing and demolition of the illegal constructions that have taken place till December 2013, until a comprehensive Master Plan is put in place which will suggest remedies for past violations and further needs, keeping in view urban upcoming growth and commercial needs.
“KEA has time and again brought up clearly and without any prejudice the economic sufferings of Kashmir and the step-motherly treatment it receives all the time both from the politicians as well as the bureaucrats, “ the statement quoted KEA chairman Mohammad Yaseen Khan as saying. “Sealing of some of the commercial establishments in violation of the Master Plan recently has been a glaring example of this bias, as they targeted only Kashmir while the violations have happened in Jammu, Katra and Ladakh as well. “
Khan said Congress ministers have scant sympathy for Kashmir and their total focus is on progress and well being of Jammu and Ladakh divisions. “But NC and PDP are just silent dummies and mute spectators to all this. Time is coming when all these politicians will have to answer to the people of the Valley and no one will save them from the ire of the suffering masses, “ he added.

Reader correspondent