LOP says relief must take priority as flood-hit Pir Panjal seeks assistance
Kashmir Impulse Desk
Jammu, July 21
Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma on Tuesday urged the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah government to suspend political activities around its statehood campaign and focus instead on rescue, relief and rehabilitation in areas devastated by floods and landslides.
Speaking at a news conference in Jammu, Sharma said the demand for statehood could wait while families affected by recent natural disasters needed immediate assistance.
He accused the government of being insufficiently visible on the ground and said the chief minister should personally oversee relief operations in Poonch, Rajouri and other affected districts.
The BJP demanded compensation of Rs 20 lakh for families of those killed in cloudbursts and flash floods, six months of ration for affected households, rehabilitation of displaced families and restoration of damaged religious institutions.
It also sought temporary housing for families in Rajouri’s slum areas who had lost their homes and belongings.
Sharma said similar compensation should be provided to families affected by a shooting-stone incident in Doda’s Raggi Nullah and damage caused by flash floods in Kishtwar’s Kyar Dachhan area.
The BJP leader said his party had postponed a planned “Secretariat Chalo” march in Srinagar after the July 18-19 disasters in Poonch and Rajouri and instead sent delegations to the affected districts.
He said the BJP’s priority was to assess the damage and press for immediate assistance.
Sharma criticised Omar for attending the National Conference’s statehood protest in Delhi, alleging that the government had chosen politics over relief work. The chief minister’s office has not, in the supplied material, responded to those specific allegations.
The BJP leader said the party was compiling a comprehensive report on damage to homes, businesses, crops, livestock and agricultural land across flood-hit districts for submission to the party’s senior leadership and onward action with the J&K and central governments.
He said political differences should not prevent all parties from cooperating in the relief and rehabilitation effort.
