“People first, politics last for us”
JK News Today
JAMMU OCTOBER 21:
National Conference today asserted that time alone will prove its efficacy and relevance in Jammu and Kashmir polity, adding that dignity and welfare of people comes first for the party and not the politics
“We don’t need any certificate from the BJP about our relevance in the state politics”, senior National Conference leaders said in a joint statement while reacting to the observations of supposedly responsible BJP leaders about significance of detained party President Dr Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Mr Omar Abdullah in Jammu and Kashmir politics.
“There seems to be inherent contradictions between the government and the BJP leadership. While the Central Government is maintaining that the mainstream political leaders have been detained to prevent them from mobilizing people against the political decisions taken in the recent past, thereby creating breach of peace and on the other hand, the BJP leaders are saying that the mainstream political parties are irrelevant in J&K”, the statement said.
“If they are irrelevant, why don’t you release them”, National Conference leaders asked, advising the BJP to shun NC phobia and instead reach out to the people and work towards restoration of peace and democracy.
The state is passing through most difficult times and the ruling BJP must come up with a clear road map to deal with the situation instead of indulging in rhetoric, the statement said, adding that spreading canards about NC leadership will not work and the BJP should try to provide succour to the people.
They cautioned against defaming political leadership of Jammu and Kashmir, which has withstood test of times and surmounted challenges during most difficult times with courage and fortitude in the larger interest of the people of the region.
“National Conference is the only cadre-based political party with its huge presence visible from Lakhanpur in Jammu to Turtuk in Ladakh and from Tangdhar in Kashmir to Padder in the Jammu region”, the statement said, adding that the party under the leadership of Dr Farooq Abdullah and Mr Omar Abdullah has weathered all the political storms in different manifestation from time to time. They exuded confidence that the party will surmount the present challenge as well at the strength of the support it enjoys across the state. They said the former chief ministers are credited with chequered political career spanning decades with unblemished record of public service, strengthening of communal harmony, working towards peace and steering the state to development and progress.
The nation understands and acknowledges the contribution and relevance of Dr Farooq Abdullah and Mr Omar Abdullah in the J&K polity and the esteem they enjoy in the hearts of their people”, the National Conference leaders said and advised the BJP leaders to shun their myopic political vision and hate for the NC leadership.
Besides Provincial President National Conference Mr Devender Singh Rana, the other signatories to the joint statement included Mr Ajay Kumar Sadhotra, Mr Surjeet Singh Slathia, Mr Rattan Lal Gupta, Th Rachpal Singh, Mr.Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo, Mr.Javed Rana, Mr.Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, Babu Rampaul, Mr.Ajaz Jan, Th. Kashmira Singh, Mr.Tarlochan Singh Wazir, Mr.Brij Mohan Sharma, Dr Chaman Lal Bhagat and Mr. Vijay Bakaya, Mr Abdul Gani Malik, Dr Kamal Arora, Mrs Bimla Luthra, Mr Bushan Lal Koul, Mrs Deepender Kour, Dr Gagan Bhagat, Sheikh Abdul Rehman, Master Noor Hussain, Mr Khalid Najeeb Suharwardhy, Mr Mohammed Aslam Khan, Mr Rahim Daad and other former legislators.
