SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said the first meeting for establishing a ‘Sainik Colony’ in the state was held when National Conference working president Omar Abdullah was in power and claimed he had given direction for identifying land for the purpose.
“This (the discussion on Sainik Colony) was started when first such meeting took place when Omar was in power. The demand was that a colony be established for the state subject ex-servicemen. He gave a direction that time for identifying the land. Since then, there has been no decision on this,” she said after
inaugurating a bookshop-cum-coffee shop at Nehru Park in the middle of the famous Dal Lake. She said the last meeting on the issue was held by Governor N N Vohra but no decision for the allotment of the land has been taken so far.
“The last meeting happened under Governor. I did not attend the meeting as I was not feeling well that day. He decided that since the land is not available in Srinagar, Army should be asked to identify land. But no decision about allotment was taken. This is the reality,” she said.Mehbooba appealed to the people not to pay heed to “rumours” and call her directly if they have any doubts. “I appeal you not to pay heed to rumours, be on Facebook or in newspapers, do not pay any heed to them. If you have any doubts, call me directly and ask if that is right or wrong. I never tell a lie, neither did my father nor anyone in my party if he loves the PDP,” she said.
She also said “misunderstandings” are being spread on the issue of NEET. “The NEET judgment came and it has been decided that examination (under NEET) will take place but only state subjects will be allowed. The students from other states cannot come in our state’s quota. But misunderstandings are being spread,”
she said. .She asked people to remain cautious and help the government establish peace in the state.
“Now, they are saying that some sheds will be constructed. The labour laws state that a labourer has to be given some shelter to save him from rains if he is working for a longer time. It’s not necessary the labourers are from outside. We’ve not done anything yet, but they created noise,” she said.”I feel that you have to remain cautious, especially those associated with tourism sector because strikes or other things everyday does not affect us because we get salaries even if we sit home. Our children study in colleges and universities outside, but it is you who have to take care of Kashmir. If you help us, we will establish peace here and that too not by holding white flag, but with honour,” Mehbooba said. She appealed the youth of Kashmir to become “real torch- bearers” of Islam. “Friday is a very blessed day for us. But if you see today any dignified person will think ten times whether to go for prayers. We have to see where we have taken Islam to,” she said, referring to stone-pelting protests which take place usually on Friday in downtown Srinagar.
“I appeal the youth to become real torch-bearers of Islam whose image is being distorted. Cooperate with us. The ideology is a separate thing, if we do not agree with someone.
But we should not defame ourselves by having that ideology in such a way that people call us bad,” she said. “We should create such an atmosphere that the world talks about us in a good way. But when we pelt stones, tourist or yatri or even our own people can be injured, bullets would be fired. Then who will come
here,” she said. She added the youths of Kashmir are not bad. “If 10 pelt stones, thousands go to colleges and universities.”
