PDP, People's Conference spar on social media over Centre's decision to extend rail link

Mainstream politicians in Kashmir have welcomed the Centre's decision to extend the Banihal-Baramulla railway link in the valley to the frontier district of Kupwara, but the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the People's Conference jostled on the social media seeking credit for the decision.

"Congratulations to people of Kupwara, as the railway link from Baramulla to Kupwara finally approved. Hope soon Chenab valley and Pir Panchal too will get connected by train," PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said in a tweet Thursday.

The official Twitter handle of the party thanked Mehbooba and its Rajya Sabha member from Kupwara, Mir Fayaz Ahmad, for pursuing the Kupwara rail link with the Centre.

The PDP claiming credit for the Centre's decision did not go down well with People's Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone.

"Railway line a reality and now parties who call us agents of Delhi want to take credit for it. Hilarious," he tweeted.

National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah thanked the Government of India for the decision to extend the rail link to Kupwara, saying Railway Minister Piyush Goyal deserved the credit for the same.

"Grateful to the Government of India for the decision to extend the railway line in the valley to Kupwara in North Kashmir. Unlike others falling over themselves to claim credit for something they didn't do, this credit goes to @PiyushGoyal & we are thankful to him," he tweeted.

In a significant initiative to expand connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir, the Centre has approved to extend the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link up to Kupwara.

"I am glad to inform you that railways has prioritised the extension of rail link from Baramulla to Kupwara and has sanctioned an updated survey for the new link," Anil Srivastava, Advisor (Transport), NITI Aayog, has said in his communication to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam.