Youth being ‘suffocated’ by PDP-BJP govt: Omar

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and working president of Opposition National Conference (NC) Omar Abdullah, on Tuesday, alleged that the youth of the state are being “suffocated” by “repressive policies” of the PDP-BJP government. “The looming uncertainty coupled with the confrontational approach of the PDP-BJP government has created a sense of despair and hopelessness among the youth,” he said.

Mr Abdullah, who was speaking at a youth convention at the party headquarters here, also said that the Central government’s “unfortunate failure” to reach out and build bridges of reconciliation and peace with the youth of the state has created a political vacuum. “In this grim atmosphere, our youth is being robbed of their right to dream of a dignified and prosperous future — which is a travesty,” he said.

He said the youth feel cheated and betrayed after promises made to them in 2014 were either broken or unapologetically abandoned. “Promises were made during the elections and votes for sought for specific purposes. The same promises were then bartered without any inhibitions for personal and familial political empowerment of a few people, while our hardworking, honest and sincere young men and women were let down and left to the mercy of uncertainty and turmoil,” he alleged.

He added that due to this “treachery”, the trust deficit has been further widened to an extent where scepticism on the ground far overshadows the utility of any rhetoric the government has to offer.