Imposition of Gov rule raises hope of flood victims in J-K

Imposition of Centre's rule in Jammu and Kashmir has raised hopes among the victims of last year's devastating floods that the process of rehabilitation will be expedited now even as the political parties continue to blame each other for enforcement of Governor's rule in the state.
"We are hopeful that the central government will now act faster on its promise of complete rehabilitation of the flood victims .... Elections are out of the way and there can be no politicking over rehabilitation in Governor's Rule," Abdul Rashid, who lost all his worldly possessions in the September floods last year, said.

Rashid said that the Centre should expedite the rehabilitation process and no excuse can now be made.
"During the election campaign, the BJP leaders who are ruling at the central level promised complete rehabilitation of the victims. This is their opportunity to walk the talk," he added.
Ishtiyaq Ahmad, another flood victim from the city, said Governor's rule might be an anti-thesis of a democratically-elected government but experience of Kashmiri people indicate that it would be better for the flood victims.
"There was a brief spell of Governor's rule in the state in 1986 but those eight months are still remembered as the golden period in the state on development front," Ishtiyaq said.

Governor's rule was imposed in the state in March 1986 after Ghulam Mohammad Shah led minority government fell following withdrawal of support by the Congress. Jagmohan, who was the Governor of the state at that time, initiated several development projects in the state which are still hailed as futuristic in terms of planning.