Power shortage issue

 A day after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah advised Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to give fatwa against power thefts, the latter challenged the former to recover outstanding power arrears of Rs 750 crores from security forces.
Addressing a gathering at central Kashmir Beerwah, Mirwaiz said that successive governments including present government of National Conference are directly responsible for present power crisis. He said they exploited natural resources of the state for their pretty political benefits.
“These so-called elected governments have made the people of the state slaves at the hands of New Delhi. We have huge water resource of generating 2000 MWs of power. A number of foreign countries are intending to invest here in power sector, but New Delhi is not allowing them.
They want the people of state to remain dependent on Delhi,” he said.
Mirwaiz said that the state government should stop atrocities against common people if they demand basic amenities like power. There is no need to announce Jehad against everyone. “We have started Jehad 20 years back
against all atrocities, against political atrocities, and against the atrocities of state government,” the Hurriyat (M) chairman said.
Mirwaiz without naming Omar said that those advocating Jehad against power thefts should themselves start initiating measures for preventing thefts against those who are being patronized.
“If the so called elected governments have courage and guts they should recover the outstanding power tariff from the so-called security forces. Rs 750 crores are pending with them. They should stop blaming common people and should concentrate on the recovery of power dues from security
forces,” he said.
Mirwaiz said that they do not expect from the state government to provide basic amenities. “We believe that those who are advocating that they can solve problems of the people cannot solve them without the resolution of long pending Kashmir issue. We believe that once the Kashmir issue
gets resolved as per wishes and aspirations of the people of the state, the administrative related issues would get automatically resolved,” he said.
The Hurriyat (M) leader also said that those, who have the wrong notion that people of the state have forgotten the ongoing freedom movement, are mistaken. “For the last 60 years, people of the state have loved this movement and New Delhi has failed to suppress the movement,” he said.
Mirwaiz said that solution of the Kashmir issue lies with tripartite talks and all such moves in which principal party, Kashmiris, are not included, will be a futile exercise.