JAMMU, Jan 07: Describing Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as an astute statesman, a man of firm resolve, a natural reconciler, a great visionary and an undisputed leader, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh Chairman JKNPP and former Minister said that his untimely death last year had given a great blow to the Indian Polity and had left behind insurmountable challenges for the entire nation and for the state of J&K in particular. He said that a great humanist as Mufti Sayeed was, he valued democracy and secularism as articles of faith. Mufti Sayeed who was a man of strong convictions and resolute will had rekindled a new hope in the hearts of millions of people after assuming the charge of Chief Minister by setting a visionary and futuristic agenda, he added. He was addressing a meeting of JKNPP convened to pay tributes to the legendary leader on his first death anniversary.
Recollecting his association with Mufti Sayeed, the former Education Minister said that the late Chief Minister firmly believed that there should be no regional political rupture in the state on religious or regional lines and that no region should be left out of governance. He emphasized in all his meetings the equitable and harmonious development of all regions. He always insisted an improving trust levels between two regions of Jammu and Kashmir as well as building bridges between communities. He said the late Mufti would emphasize in his meetings the equitable and harmonious development of all regions without any bias or prejudice and would often remind his ministerial colleagues of their pious duties towards the welfare and wellbeing of people of all hues and cries across the state regardless of their region and religion, parties and political affiliations. He said that Mufti Sayeed was a one of his kind Politician who would entertain even the strongest of his opponents, gave him space and accommodate him to the extent possible. That explained why he was acceptable to people cutting across party lines, said Mr. Singh.
Describing Mufti’s contributions to the state as monumental and historical, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh said that immediately after assuming the charge of Chief Minister in state in 2002, he took several revolutionary steps and transformed the socio-political scenario in the state with militancy witnessing a sharp decline. Being gifted extraordinarily with administrative acumen and political management and sagacity, Mufti Sayeed steered the state out of crisis in 2002 thus ushering in a new era of peace and hope. He recollected that during Mufti’s brief stint between 2002 and 2005, the separatists and hardcore elements were marginalized to the extent that their support base in the valley was reduced to negligible. On the developmental front, he said Mufti Sayeed achieved a matchless feat by getting two developmental packages approved from the Centre, one in 2004 and another in 2014 from UPA and NDA govt.’s respectively.
Paying rich tributes to late Mufti, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh observed that a huge void had been created in the J&K politics which would not only be difficult to fill but had also posed several serious challenges for the polity of the state. He lamented that Mufti had left at a time when the state was grappling with a new wave of radicalization and a renewed spurt in local recruitment in militancy. He regretted that Mufti’s charisma would no longer be there to salvage the state facing multiple challenges. Paying tributes to the legendry leader, Mr. Singh however, hoped that Mufti Sayeed’s legacy would continue to live and guide and inspire millions of youth across the state.
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