NC-led govt 'powerful enough' to mitigate people's sufferings: Deputy CM Choudhary

Jammu, Dec 5: Asserting that the National Conference-led government is "powerful enough" to address people's issues, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Thursday asked the employees to perform their duties in a responsible manner with focus on public welfare.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function organised by the National Conference (NC) at its headquarters here to pay tributes to the party founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah on his 119 birth anniversary, he said Jammu and Kashmir had suffered enough over the past six years due to “bureaucratic rule”.

“Who says we do not have power? Everything is clear and anyone doubting our power should know that we have suspended the underperforming officers to make the system accountable. We have full authority and our motive is good governance,” the deputy chief minister told reporters.

He was responding to a question that the NC-led government lacks power in the Union Territory.

“We do not want to take stern action against our employees and are requesting them to understand their responsibilities like we do. The issues of the public need to be resolved timely, which is their right,” he said.

The deputy chief minister said people voted the NC to power and “we are not enemies of anyone. We are accountable to the public and the employees should also show some accountability. They (employees) are our own people and we want them to implement on ground the pro-public decisions of the government.”

He said there are several challenges before the government, the biggest one being the "rot" in the system owing to the bureaucratic rule of the past six years.

“Everything will be alright as the time passes,” he said, reiterating his government's demand for early restoration of statehood to the Union Territory.

Asked about the situation in Bangladesh, he said innocents should not be killed or harmed anywhere as “everyone has the right to live. The government in Bangladesh should take serious note of the situation and ensure no discrimination with anyone.”

Earlier, the deputy chief minister joined party leaders and activists to pay floral tributes to Abdullah on his birth anniversary.