Beating about bush, J

Srinagar, June 26 (UNI) The ruling Congress in Jammu and Kashmir today termed ''beating about the bush'' its coalition partner -- Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) -- demand for troop withdrawal from the militancy-hit state.

Addressing a public gathering at Halmatpora in Kupwara district, senior state Congress vice president Abdul Ghani Vakil said instead of beating about the bush over the demand for troop reduction, the need of the hour was to support Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's endeavours to get an employment package from the Centre for the educated youth of the state.

''We are confronted with ever-increasing unemployment problem and the Chief Minister is seeking central package to address it, but unfortunately some leaders who had promised employment to the youth are ignoring this and playing vote bank politics,'' he added.

Mr Vakil said the people of the state were wise enough to read between the lines and see through the curtain of hollow slogan of troop reduction.

The demand was aimed at diverting the attention from issues such as restoration of peace, ensuring equitable development, providing employment, healthcare, drinking water, road connectivity and other basic amenities to the people, he added.

The Congress leader said it was the duty of all political leaders to seek better future for the younger generation, faced with the frustration of the growing unemployment problem.

''Thousands of graduates, post graduates, doctors and engineers are without jobs. Instead of pooling our resources to help them, some politicians have chosen to play to the gallery for partisan interests,'' he maintained.

Mr Vakil referred to the liberal financial support being provided by the Centre to Jammu and Kashmir, saying Mr Azad has been able to rope in funds for the development of the state.

The visionary and people-friendly measures taken by Mr Azad to usher in a new era of progress in the state would go down in the annals of history as significant and important decisions taken by any state government ever, he claimed.

UNI