Congress Dubs Shah's Visit to J&K 'Cosmetic'; Says People Want Restoration of Dignity

The Jammu and Kashmir Congress on Saturday termed as "cosmetic" the two-day visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the Union Territory and said people want ''restoration of their honour'' and holding of the much-delayed assembly polls.

J&K Congress working president Raman Bhalla said the frequent visits of central ministers to the region is a "futile exercise" and claimed that not a single public demand has been fulfilled even as the Jammu and Kashmir administration is directly working on the directions of the BJP.

"The home minister's visit (to Jammu and Kashmir) is cosmetic as he refuses to acknowledge the ground realities. These visits are an eyewash and a strategy to divert public attention from the government's failure," he said while addressing a function to welcome new entrants into the party fold at Bishna near here.

"The central government should send its ministers with some funds in hand so that they can redress the public issues in a real sense. This public outreach campaign since the last couple of years has remained a flop show. High expectations of the public from these visits have also fallen flat," Bhalla, a former minister, said. He also alleged that the civil administration has completely collapsed in Jammu and Kashmir.

"It is the right time to restore the confidence of the people who are feeling sidelined with no elected representative or government in place," he said.

Demanding holding of the much-delayed assembly elections for empowerment of people, he said Jammu and Kashmir residents want the restoration of their "honour and dignity".

Addressing an event after the inauguration of the three-day Vitasta Festival in Srinagar, Shah on Friday said all-round development has come to Jammu and Kashmir ever since the abrogation of Article 370.

He also said that during the rule of the previous governments in Jammu and Kashmir, democracy was limited to 80-85 people and three families -- the Abdullahs, Muftis and the Gandhis -- had taken control over democracy, but now its future is decided by 35,000 elected representatives.