Jammu — The PDP should concentrate on setting its house in order and leave the governance part to the National Conference, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary said on Monday, reacting to the opposition party’s campaign seeking a ban on liquor in the Union Territory.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) launched the signature campaign in Srinagar on Saturday to garner support for a complete ban on liquor.
“Why did Mehbooba (PDP president) not pass a bill in the assembly to ban liquor when she was the chief minister in 2015-16? The people responsible for bad times in J&K and the spread of drugs should avoid lecturing NC,” he said.
“Let them focus on setting their house in order. The NC knows how to keep the party, J&K and the country strong. They are the same people who were saying nobody will shoulder the tricolour (after abrogation of Article 370) but NC always respected the national flag,” Choudhary told reporters on the sidelines of a function at the NC headquarters here.
The function was organised to pay tributes to former party general secretary Sheikh Nazir Ahmed on his 10th death anniversary. The event was also attended by NC president Farooq Abdullah.
The deputy chief minister said the PDP had got its opportunity to serve J&K but they failed miserably.
“They (PDP leadership) are responsible for all the prevailing mess in J&K…The biggest issues in J&K at present are the alarming increase in drug trafficking and addiction, ending broad-daylight murders and reversing the growing rate of crime,” he said.
Choudhary said there is no need to bring a white paper on the PDP rule as the people have given their mandate, reducing the PDP from the previous best of 29 seats to just three seats in the assembly.
He lauded the state police for fighting terrorism for the last three decades and making supreme sacrifices. However, the menace of drug addiction and crime will end only when dedicated officers get key positions instead of “blue-eyed officers”.
“There is no shortage of good officers in the police,” he added. — (PTI)
