Srinagar, Aug 14: In his Independence Day message Governor N N Vohra while extending greetings and good wishes to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, called for an end to the continued confrontation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Talking about the disadvantages of J&K vis-a-vis its geography, Vohra said progress and growth in the state has also suffered “because of Pakistan’s continuing proxy war and its unceasing campaigns, for the past nearly three decades now, to perpetrate violence and destabilize Jammu and Kashmir”.
Crediting government forces for “effectively” dealing with the militancy both at the border and in the hinterland, Governor said various initiatives taken by Prime Minister to secure amicable relations with our neighbor have not so far engendered any result.
“Elections have just been concluded in Pakistan and a new Prime Minister shall be soon taking over. I very much hope that the new leadership in Islamabad will recognize the futility of continuing with its terrorist agenda in J&K and accept that peace between our two countries will contribute towards the establishment of fruitful relations, growing trade, prosperity and all around mutual benefits,” he said.
He also said “our people in the valley have been facing continuing difficulties and sufferings on account of the recurring disturbances. Every call for a ‘Hartal’ (shutdown) affects the functioning of public delivery systems, stoppage of transport, tourism, trade and business and closure of all educational institutions. In brief, almost every activity comes to a halt, with consequential difficulties for the people and losses on all fronts.”
He said the recurring unrest has most seriously affected the academic schedules and the future careers of youth.
“Whenever I have had the opportunity of visiting any educational institution I have been appealing to the teachers, parents and the community leaders to take every possible step for protecting the interests of the younger generation. It is extremely important that the anger of our youth, from whatever reasons it may arise, must not lead to their getting involved in violent activities,” he said.
Referring to educated youth taking to militancy, Vohra said “in the past year, a number of our youth, some of whom were pursuing professional studies, were influenced to pick up the gun and join groups which perpetrate violence.
“It is gratifying that some of these young men have since returned to their families. I appeal to all our community leaders to exercise their utmost influence to get all the young men who have deviated from the path to return home and pursue their careers.”
About the Governor’s Rule in the State, Vohra said “it has been my unflinching endeavour to see that the functioning of the entire administrative apparatus, from the village level up to the State Secretariat, functions with promptitude, efficiency and complete accountability. My three Advisors, Chief Secretary and I have been working to infuse the governmental machinery with the required zeal for performing effectively and delivering efficient services to all the people in our state.”
He said the first priority of the Governor’s administration is to ensure the maintenance of public order and to see that the entire administrative apparatus functions with speed and efficiency.
“Among the many problems facing us there is a huge requirement of funds for securing the completion of scores of projects all over the state, some of which have been lingering for 10-15 years. Side by side, the services of a very large number of workers, not all of whom may have been inducted against available vacancies or after following the due processes, need to be urgently examined for appropriate decisions. It is also necessary to ensure that all those who get paid from the state exchequer report timely for work and perform their tasks with due diligence,” he said.
The Administration, he said, is working assiduously to ensure that the resources available under the Prime Minister’s Development Package of Rs 80,000 crore and under the various pan-India flagship schemes are efficiently utilized to timely implement the various infrastructure and development projects and welfare promotion programmes for which we are receiving assistance.
“Ever since I came to serve this state, which is now over ten years ago, I have been repeatedly urging that the pursuit of divisive and confrontationist approaches can never lead to the resolution of any of our problems. As we have seen for ourselves, such approaches have only generated vested interests which have fractured our society and severely damaged our centuries old syncretic values and traditions,” he said.
“Today, yet once again, I appeal to the leaders of all the political parties in our state, and to all those at the helm of various social, cultural, religious and other influential organizations, to ponder most seriously over what exactly has been gained from the endless turmoil, the continuing human and economic losses and the sufferings which our people have been undergoing in the past several decades.
“It also needs being recognized that the activities of all those whose sole objective has been to stoke unrest have resulted only in branding our state with a negative profile which has discouraged tourism, external investments and adversely affected the economic advancement of the state,” he said.
“To pull the state, and all our people, out of the prevailing environment of suspicion, fear, distrust and growing cynicism it is of crucial importance that all the stakeholders ― whatever be their political convictions or religious ideologies ― close ranks and muster the courage to accept that our problems can be resolved only through dialogue and discussion and by making sustained sincere efforts towards promoting reconciliation and communal harmony,” he urged.
He appealed to the leaders of all political parties in the state to provide full support to the administration to improve efficiency and accountability in every arena of functioning and to lend their valuable support towards engendering an environment in which the forthcoming elections to Municipalities and Panchayats produce a positive outcome which would, in turn, pave the way for the restoration of peace and normalcy and enable the State to take on bigger challenges.
“I also appeal to all the employees in our state to forthwith commit themselves to work with honesty and devotion to efficiently discharge the tasks entrusted to them. In this process, they shall not only win the respect of the people they are required to serve but also enable our State to move speedily ahead on all fronts,” Governor said in his message.
