Referring to the leaders of the NC-Congress alliance as "political acrobats" on the issue of new administrative units in Jammu and Kashmir, former union minister and Jammu (west) MLA Chaman Lal Gupta said that these leaders must explain "where from the large sums would come for funding the infrastructure for all the new units".
"These leaders must explain how to fund infrastructure, especially when many of the developmental works have gone in limbo because of paucity of funds," said Gupta.
Addressing the activists, Gupta said that a "strange situation has been created in the state".
"Development and repairs of roads and drains has come to a halt due to the said paucity of funds. Liabilities on various accounts are mounting," he said.
"Workers are not being paid their salaries for months together. Sanitation and health services are in a bad shape. Instead of setting these things right, the ruling leaders are trying to create tensions on the issue of creation of administrative units," added Gupta.
He questioned the state government's sincerity for removal of regional disparities and said that to this end, "there is a greater need for having fresh delimitation of the Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies. "But on this, issue leaders of both parties of the coalition are mum as if it is no issue to them," said Gupta.
"This silence is all the more condemnable because the Congress, in its election manifestos of 2002 and 2008, had promised to bring a bill for having fresh delimitation to ensure fair representation to all the regions," added Gupta, alleging that the controversy on the issue of administrative units is "nothing more than shadow boxing".
{{/usCountry}}"This silence is all the more condemnable because the Congress, in its election manifestos of 2002 and 2008, had promised to bring a bill for having fresh delimitation to ensure fair representation to all the regions," added Gupta, alleging that the controversy on the issue of administrative units is "nothing more than shadow boxing".
{{/usCountry}}The activists listed various problems and difficulties being faced by the people in their areas, and stressed the need for transparent governance.