Congress promise of granting Union Territory status to Ladakh region is an 'election gimmick': Mufti Mohammad Sayeed

SRINAGAR: PDP chief Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said Congress' promise of granting Union Territory status to Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir was an "election gimmick" which is not "constitutionally possible".

"The Congress promise of a union territory for Ladakh in its local manifesto is an election time gimmick which has been introduced for votes but without realising that it is constitutionally impossible," Sayeed said addressing party workers from Kupwara district who joined the PDP today.

Sayeed also criticised National Conference saying the regional party cannot escape its responsibility from the Congress manifesto and it must explain its position as an alliance partner in the UPA.

"On one hand, the NC is shedding crocodile tears about Article 370 and preservation of special status of J&K and on the other hand, they are trying to dismember the state and take a territory out of it," he said.

The former chief minister said the "opportunistic" alliance between NC and Congress has nothing in common except the greed for power. He referred to the rehabilitation scheme for those people who had gone across the Line-of-Control (LoC) saying the families of the unfortunate men have been deceived and put into all kinds of trouble.

Sayeed said the recent alleged suicide by a woman from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) in Bandipora district is a stark reminder of how the present government is playing with the lives of people.

"Once these people who had left their homes as young men came back along with families they were left high and dry. These people are now facing problems of unsettled nationality, economic sustenance and schooling of their children but nobody has addressed their problems so far," he added.