Kishtwar not on priority list of union minister Azad

SHEIKH NASIR HUSSAIN
Kishtwar: It seems that mountainous Kishtwar district does not figure in the priority list of former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who recently concluded his maiden visit to Chenab Valley after taking over new assignment at New Delhi.People living in the far flung area of Kishtwar district were enthusiastic after induction of Ghulam Nabi Azad as union health minister in Manmohan Singh cabinet but the hopes and aspirations proved unrealistic as Azad chose not to visit Kishtwar during his extensive tour of Chenab Valley. Though the party leaders claimed that Azad visited Doda and Ramban district on account of functions organised by the party leaders, sources in the state government revealed that during his visit the union minister took note of health care facilities and scope of its improvement in the areas. He also intracted with the district authorities and took stock of various ongoing developmental work, started during his tenure as the chief minister of the state. However, Azad preferred not to visit Kishtwar due to some unknown reason which has created a resentment among the general masses of the area, who till recently were proudly associating themselves with the union minister. Surprisingly, when the Kishtwar district is suffering due to lack of proper medicare facilities the union minister instead of visiting the area summoned the officers from the district administration to his native place Bhaderwah. “We were eagerly waiting for Mr Azad to visit Kishtwar as we thought that his visit would give a new life to the ailing health sector”, Malik Rehmat-ull-ah a trade union leader told The Bold Voice, adding the approach of the union minister has not only shocked the residents of the area but it has also shattered their hopes. However, the opponents of Azad have some other reasons to offer. “We never expected him to visit the place as we know that being the chief minister of the state he has always ignored and neglected Kishtwar district for obvious reasons”, District President of PDP (Youth) Ishtiyaq Hussain Waza said. He said that Mufti Muhammad Sayeed had sanctioned University campus for Kishtwar but the proposal was changed overnight soon after Ghulam Nabi Azad took over the reign of power in the state. Another senior PDP leader Shakir Hussain Sadiqi believe that Azad never want any development in Kishtwar as it would foil his plans. “We know that the developmental funds meant for the entire district were diverted to Bhaderwah and no funds were sanctioned and spent on tourism sector in Kishtwar during his tenure as the chief minister”. Bhartiya Janta Party leader Sunil Sharma say’s that anti-Kishtwar approcah of Ghulam Nabi Azad has once again exposed. “ People should now behave accordingly” added Sharma.