A delegation of opposition National Conference (NC) leaders was today prevented from going to Handwara in Kashmir's Kupwara district where four persons have been killed in action by security forces since Tuesday, a party leader said.
"We tried to visit Handwara today to meet the families of those killed in firing and to assess the situation there but we were detained by the police and not allowed to go there," NC General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar told reporters here.
He said the party had constituted a team of senior leaders, including NC provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani and Mohammad Akbar Lone, to visit Handwara yesterday but they were told by police to proceed on Friday morning.
"We spoke to IGP Kashmir who told us to visit on Friday but as we reached near Sangrama this morning, we were stopped by the police present there and detained at a police station for about half-an-hour.
"Then we were told that we can go to Handwara via Sopore but near Wagoora, we were stopped again and taken to Dak Bungalow Sopore from where we were asked to return to Srinagar as the situation was bad there," he said.
Sagar said the government should have allowed the opposition leaders to visit Handwara.
When such incidents happened during NC's rule, visits of opposition parties used to be facilitated, he said, adding that everyone should be allowed there under democracy.
He alleged that no minister had visited the families of the four persons killed in the firing.
"We talked to the families and they said no minister had visited them. The government's claim is completely wrong and misleading. I think the government wants to hide something and that is why it did not allow us," he said, adding that it was a breach of privilege.
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The NC provincial president also referred to illogical reference point of 2011 Census for carrying out delimitation of panchayats even as 2017 legal and duly notified voter lists were available.
He called for making 2017 voter lists as referral point for redrawing panchayats and wards by way of delimitation.
Rana blamed the coalition partners for demolishing institutional mechanism due to their "myopic" political understanding and lack of support at ground zero.
On the linking of Aadhar with distribution of food grains through CAPD outlets, Rana said the government should first ensure that every citizen gets Aadhar Card and only then implement such plans.
"Keeping in view the efficacy of Aadhar for availing of various benefits like opening of bank accounts, direct transfer of funds on LPG subsidy, Jan Dhan Yojna, seeking of passport, digital lockers, linking of voter cards, drawl of pensions, provident fund and various insurance covers, the government should take measures on war footing basis to ensure issuance of cards to every citizen," Rana said, adding that he had raised this issue in the Legislative Assembly as well.
