Srinagar: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said the proposed increase in GST for Kashmiri shawls would finish the craft and appealed to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to address the issue.
She also alleged that the Centre was trying to make the people of Jammu and Kashmir dependent solely on tourism.
“The Kashmiri shawl is not just a means of livelihood for us but an identity of Jammu and Kashmir. It is famous all over the world. The (previous) National Conference government banned the Shahtoosh, which was our heritage. That also caused economic losses,” Mufti told reporters.
“Today, when you increase the GST on Kashmiri shawl to 28 percent, our art will automatically die,” the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president added.
The former chief minister of the erstwhile state alleged efforts were being made to destroy Jammu and Kashmir by undertaking development work on horticulture land and imposing GST on the handicraft sector.
“These kept Jammu and Kashmir alive in its difficult times. I request Omar (Abdullah) that these are our assets, you have 50 MLAs, 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 the GST to 28 percent,” she asked.
The PDP chief alleged that these measures were an attempt by the Centre to make Jammu and Kashmir dependent solely on tourism.
“If our horticulture and handicraft are finished, we will only be dependent on tourism. Perhaps, the central government wants to finish the horticulture and the handicraft sectors to make the people of Jammu and Kashmir dependent only on tourism so that they can send tourists whenever they want,” Mufti said.
She also claimed huge development projects were wreaking havoc on agricultural and horticultural land.
The PDP supremo said, “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 Jammu and Kashmir’s economy and our situation can become worse than those states from where labourers come here. So, Omar (Abdullah) should pay special attention — our lands are being taken away for huge projects.”
She also urged the chief minister to provide clarity on the people being settled in the 30 satellite townships being built in the valley.
“Thirty satellite townships are being built, huge land is needed for those. He (Abdullah) should tell us for whom those are being built. Who are 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,” Mufti said.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir are already reeling from uncertainty. There was no need to build these townships. Our agricultural land is being taken for those,” she further said.
The PDP chief also claimed around 1.5 lakh ration cards of people below the poverty line were cancelled in Jammu and Kashmir.
People are facing hardship due to the intense cold and problems in electricity supply have added to their misery, she said.
Mufti expressed hope that Chief Minister Abdullah would pay attention to these issues and resolve the people’s problems. (With inputs from PTI)
