JAMMU: Pulwama MLA and senior PDP leader Para on Friday strongly criticized the budget presented by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, stating that while it appeared well-intentioned, it lacked practical execution and tangible outcomes.
Speaking to reporters outside the Legislative Assembly in Jammu, the legislator remarked that the budget deserved “zero marks” due to its failure to translate promises into reality. “We are not opposing the budget outright, but we are pointing out that it is merely a set of well-phrased announcements with no solid groundwork.
It looks more like an allocation of centrally-funded schemes rather than a structured financial roadmap for addressing Jammu & Kashmir’s pressing concerns,” he asserted.
He further accused the ruling National Conference (NC) of deviating from its electoral commitments. “There was hope that after a long gap, J&K finally had a popular government.
We expected that critical issues such as unemployment, developmental gaps, economic burdens, the financial strain on common citizens, and the concerns of traders, farmers, youth, contractual workers, and employees would be addressed.
However, this budget has left people disillusioned as it resembles a compilation of central schemes rather than a well-thought-out state-specific financial plan,” he added.
Reacting to the Opposition Leader Sunil Sharma’s request to the Speaker to expunge references to Pakistan in Assembly debates, the PDP leader alleged that the BJP was trying to stifle voices both inside and outside the legislature.
“They want to impose their authority on Jammu & Kashmir and dictate democracy on their terms. Now, they even wish to take over the Speaker’s role and shape legislative discussions as per their preferences,” he remarked.
He reaffirmed that the Assembly must remain a platform for open discourse, allowing the people of Jammu & Kashmir to voice their concerns freely. “This House belongs to the people, and they have the absolute right to express what they feel,” he concluded.
