NC risks being reduced to ceremonial caretaker offering symbolism sans substance: PDP

Srinagar, Oct 17 (PTI) The ruling National Conference risks being reduced to a "ceremonial caretaker” offering “symbolism without substance”, the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party said on Friday, as the elected government completed one year in office in Jammu and Kashmir.

In its monthly newsletter 'Speak Up', the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) claimed the “excuse” of not having full statehood no longer holds water, as people voted for action, not excuses.

“As the National Conference (NC) government marks its first year in office, the question reverberating across Jammu and Kashmir is stark: ‘Is this what we voted for?’ “After the upheaval of 2019, many believed a new chapter was about to begin, one defined by healing, dignity, and democratic renewal," the PDP said in the newsletter.

After the (2024) Assembly polls, the expectations of the people were high as they envisioned a rejuvenated Kashmir, infused with hope and driven by the promise of change, the opposition party said.

"But, one year on, that promise feels dangerously hollow. Instead of progress, there's paralysis. Instead of renewal, there's resignation,” it said.

The PDP said the "disappointment" is more palpable among the youth, who bore the brunt of political uncertainty, economic stagnation, and systemic neglect.

“For them, this government represented a chance to reset, to reclaim agency over their futures. Instead, their aspirations have been met with silence,” it said.

Accusing the government of not asserting its authority but rather retreating "timidly", the PDP said the robust political discourse that once energised the Valley has "faded into a fog of bureaucracy and caution".

“Debate has been replaced by delay; boldness by bureaucratic jargon. The government, elected with a clear mandate, speaks in whispers when it should thunder.

“In the face of administrative overreach, arbitrary dismissals, or overzealous crackdowns, it fails to defend democratic norms or even explain its own position. Rather than asserting its authority, it retreats timidly," it said.

The PDP said the ruling party risks being reduced to a ceremonial caretaker, offering symbolism without substance.

“One year may not be enough to rebuild decades of damage, but it is certainly enough to set the tone. What the people see instead is a government stuck in limbo, neither acting with the urgency of an elected leadership nor resisting with the integrity of a principled opposition,” it said.

During the election campaign last year, the newsletter said, the NC was vocal and forceful, raising critical issues like the abrogation of Article 370, political detentions, property attachments, relentless raids, arbitrary sackings, bans on political entities, and the hollowing out of institutions in the name of security.

"But after one year in power, the silence is deafening. There is barely a murmur, let alone the promised resistance. For the common people, it's now hard to tell the difference between the governor's rule of yesterday and the 'popular' government of today," it said.

The opposition party also charged that the governance too "has fallen flat", and the "often-repeated excuse" of not having full statehood no longer holds water.

"The people didn't vote for excuses; they voted for action. Even the most basic electoral promises remain unfulfilled: the creation of one lakh jobs, provision of free electricity and water, LPG cylinders, free ration for poor families, regularisation of daily wagers, and support for widows and pensioners. None of them has materialised. The slogans have faded. The silence has grown louder,” the PDP said.

It added that the government's "failure is glaring" on the sensitive issue of reservations.

"Committee reports are gathering dust, but no viable solution has emerged. Students and job aspirants, especially those in the open merit category, continue to languish in uncertainty. The absence of any meaningful reform or communication has deepened a sense of betrayal and institutional distrust,” the newsletter said.

On December 10 last year, the government constituted a Cabinet sub-committee to look into the grievances raised by various sections of aspirants against the existing reservation policy in the Union territory.

On Friday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the Cabinet has accepted the sub-committee report on reservation, which would be sent to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for approval.

The PDP said the NC must understand that if it fails now, it risks not just electoral defeat, "but the loss of an entire generation's faith in democratic politics".

"This is about more than policy; this is about credibility. A government that fails to act, speak, or deliver eventually loses not just power, but the moral authority to lead. Jammu and Kashmir has waited long enough for change. One year on, the window of hope is closing," the PDP said. PTI SSB ARI