URI: An earthquake that led to the loss of over 1,300 lives and left about two lakh persons homeless should have erased the political divide in Jammu and Kashmir. On the contrary, it seems to have widened it.

The statements from State leaders are only widening the divide in terms of political or even ethnic issues at this crucial juncture of relief distribution.

Uri is a political battle zone between Gujjar and Pahari leaders of various parties.

Being on the periphery of Kashmir valley and with its unique ethnic structure, Uri has mostly remained aloof from political dynamics. The political scenario in Uri underwent a major turnaround in the 2002 Assembly elections when the National Conference (NC) stalwart and Pahari leader, Mohammad Shaffi Uri, who has been winning this seat from 1972, got trounced by Gujjar leader Taj Mohhiuddin, son of the last chief of the Dogra army, Brigadier Khuda Baksh.

Mohammad Shaffi, who is camping here along with National Conference Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather, jointly charged the Government with criminal negligence towards the area and said relief was not reaching the remote areas.

They said: "this is absolutely criminal negligence. They are busy making this calamity a pomp show and nothing is being done practically. This calamity has moved the whole world but our State Government is yet to be moved. There are 24 villages where people have no food, no drinking water, no electricity or oil for lamps." In villages such as Rajwani, Salamabad, Sultandaki and Bandi nobody is distributing relief. But the local MLA and Cabinet Minister, Taj Mohhiuddin, rebutted the allegations. He said he himself visited villages such as Sultandaki.

Separatists leaders have come out openly against mainstream politicians for neglecting this belt. Most of these leaders visited the well-connected Uri chowk situated in the middle of the town and distributed some relief and returned.

"Everybody knows that relief has come by road and the real challenge is to take the material to the remote hamlets. Why cannot every party send its cadre to work as volunteers instead of criticising each other," says Mohammad Hussian, a retired headmaster who lost three members of his family.

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