Shopian (J&K): Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and People's Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday accused the Central government of inflicting "economic terrorism" on Kashmir by targeting the fruit industry "to break the backbone of the Kashmiri people". She likened the situation in Kashmir to "Palestinians who are facing economic blockade at the hands of Israel".
Speaking to orchardists in south Kashmir's Shopian district, one of the fruit hubs of Kashmir Valley, Mehbooba took umbrage at the authorities' "failure in making the passage of fruit-laden trucks smooth on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway". The businessmen associated with the fruit trade accused that the trucks were deliberately being halted while the prices of Kashmiri fruit have been slashed to the lowest levels.
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"This is a kind of economic terrorism. The Government of India wants the economy of Kashmiris to be smashed. This is like Israel does to Palestinians to break their economy," she said. She said horticulture is the backbone of Kashmir's economy and tens of thousands of people are directly and indirectly associated with it.
"How is it possible that a truck coming from Jammu to Kashmir reaches its destination in a single day and the same truck takes four to five days on its return journey? This is a conspiracy. The trucks are deliberately being halted," she said. She said that she has taken up the issue with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
"I have pleaded with the Governor to look into the issue. I have asked him to inquire as to why the vehicles are not allowed to pass. If he is not able to look into this, the situation can become difficult for him," she said. She said the fruit trade is not linked to orchardists alone. "There are tens of thousands of people associated with the trade. the transporters have taken huge loans. They have to repay them," she said.
