Srinagar: National Conference on Monday said that abrogation of Article 370 last year has disenfranchised Kashmiris economically, politically saying vanishing presence of Kashmiris from bureaucracy and other decision making bodies is alarming.
In a statement, NC General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar said the move was aimed to scuttle the political voice of the people of J&K in general and the people of Kashmir in particular.
“In civil, police and other arms of governance, Kashmiris are nowhere. It seems that the incumbent central and J&K government is deliberately sidelining Kashmiris. The imbalance in the system is visible at every place in every department. This has unfortunately alienated Kashmiris in their own land, the feeling of detachment is running high and the situation is getting worse with each passing day,” he said.
Sagar said the sidelining of Kashmiris started soon after the state was robbed of its constitutional status last year undemocratically and unilaterally. “Most of the top posts in bureaucracy are held by non-locals and officers who have no idea about the local terrain and issues. Understandably, they have miserably failed to redress the issues of the public at every level. There is no visible connection between the officials and the people on ground,” Sagar added.
The situation, Sagar said, has become exact replica of autocratic times when Kashmiris were treated as dumb driven cattle with no say in civil administration, he said. “The disenfranchisement among Kashmiris is as it has been never before. The void between the administration and people is widening with each passing day,” he said.
“Winters are approaching and the incessant load shedding is already on. People are hankering for power and drinking water but bureaucrats are busy packing for their winter retreats in Jammu,” Sagar added.

KR Desk