Allow Kashmiris to buy kerosene from Pakistan, says Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz

 Moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has stirred the hornet's nest by saying that people of Kashmir should be allowed to get kerosene from Pakistan if the Centre cannot meet the requirement of this essential commodity.

"What are the public supposed to do in this situation? Under such circumstances when demand for basic facilities of gas, kerosene and electricity cannot be met by Goverment of India, Kashmiris should be allowed to look at alternatives of getting them from Azad JK (Pakistan occupied Kashmir) and Pakistan through the Muzzaffarbad-Srinagar road," Mirwaiz said at the Jamia Masjid here on Friday. The Mirwaiz was reacting to reports that the Centre has decided to cut the quota of kerosene for Jammu and Kashmir from 48.48 lakh litres to 30 lakh litres per month.

He said when price of electricity per unit is quite high and frequent power cut is the order of the day, in such a situation any decision to reduce the supply of kerosene as an available alternative for cooking and heating purposes is "most cruel". Castigating the state and central government for doing nothing for relief and rehabilitation of flood victims, the Mirwaiz said even after more than four months, flood-affected were being forced to spend their days and nights in this shivering cold under difficult conditions. Some mainstream politicians like Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami of CPI(M) have also criticised the Centre on the move.