Elected CM speaking like opposition leader: Mehboob Beg

Srinagar, Nov 29: The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday alleged that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had encouraged the administration to make people homeless by rejecting the PDP’s land bill.

After a party meeting, PDP chief spokesman Mehboob Beg said PDP MLAs brought a bill for granting land rights to people in the recent assembly session, but CM Omar called it a bill for land grabbers.

“This has encouraged the bureaucracy, and they are demolishing homes now. It is perhaps for the first time in Kashmir’s history that people are being rendered homeless in the freezing temperatures,” he said. About the CM raising questions over the recent demolition drives in Jammu and Kashmir, Beg said, “Our elected CM is speaking like an opposition leader, like Mehbooba Mufti. He has the mandate. He needs to act. He has to stop making Kashmiris homeless. He needs to take corrective measures for the economy. He doesn’t have the right to raise questions.”

He said the people of J&K did not give a mandate to the National Conference (NC) government to express helplessness, but to act urgently.

“Did lakhs of people vote for them so that they could act helpless and weak, or say they don’t have the authority? If they don’t have the authority, the CM should tell us why he is there,” Beg said. “If they don't have the authority, if they can’t save the people who are being rendered homeless in freezing temperatures, what are they doing there?” He urged CM Omar not to “hide behind the Lieutenant Governor”, saying he needs to stop raising questions and start acting. “The elected government shouldn’t hide behind the LG. The elected government is answerable. The elected government doesn’t raise questions, it acts,” Beg said.