‘Hike will finish Kashmir craft’

Srinagar, Dec 21: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti Saturday said the proposed increase in GST for Kashmiri shawls would finish the craft and appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to address the issue.

She also alleged that the Centre was trying to make the people of J&K dependent solely on tourism.

“The Kashmiri shawl is not just a means of livelihood for us but an identity of J&K. It is famous all over the world. The (previous) National Conference government banned the Shahtoosh, which was our heritage. That also caused economic losses,” Mehbooba told reporters.

“Today, when you increase GST on Kashmiri shawl to 28 percent, our art will automatically die,” the PDP President said.

She alleged that efforts were being made to destroy J&K by undertaking development work on horticulture land and imposing GST on the handicraft sector.

“These kept J&K alive in its difficult times. I request Omar (Abdullah) that these are our assets, you have 50 MLAs, and three MPs, for God’s sake, tell us what you are doing to save our assets. What are you doing on the issue of increasing GST to 28 percent,” she asked.

The PDP chief alleged that these measures were an attempt by the Centre to make J&K dependent solely on tourism.

“If our horticulture and handicrafts are finished, we will only be dependent on tourism. Perhaps, the Centre wants to finish the horticulture and the handicraft sectors to make people of J&K dependent only on tourism so that they send tourists only when they want,” she said.

The former chief minister also claimed huge development projects were wreaking havoc on agricultural and horticultural land.

“Railway lines, ring roads, the Baramulla-Rajouri highway - there is an onslaught on orchards through which youngsters earn their livelihood. It can have a very bad impact on J&K’s economy and our situation can become worse than those states from where labourers come here. So, Omar (Abdullah) Sahab should pay special attention - our lands are being taken away for such projects,” she said.

The PDP chief also urged the CM to provide clarity on the people being settled in the 30 satellite townships being built in Kashmir.

“Thirty satellite townships are being built, 1.20 lakh kanal land is needed for those. He (Abdullah) should tell us for whom those are being built. Who is being settled there? There are apprehensions about who are being settled as there are examples around the world like in Gaza and Syria where people’s land was snatched,” she said. “The people of J&K are already reeling from uncertainty. There was no need to build these townships. Our agricultural land is being taken for those.”

The former chief minister also claimed around 1.5 lakh ration cards of people below the poverty line were cancelled in J&K.

She said that people were facing hardship due to the intense cold and problems in electricity supply have added to their misery.

Mehbooba expressed hope that CM Omar would pay attention to these issues and resolve the people’s problems.