Kupwara, Apr 21: Terming National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party as two sides of the same coin, Peoples Conference chairman and separatist-turned-mainstream politician, Sajad Gani Lone, Tuesday, held both the parties responsible for the sufferings of Kashmiris.
Making his first public appearance in Kupwara after extended post-poll hibernation, Sajad told a PC convention here that the people of Jammu and Kashmir wouldn’t forgive NC and PDP leadership for their anti-people actions.
“Omar Abdullah is not a Kashmiri and talks about the blood of Kashmiris while Mufti Sayeed is raising the issue of human rights violations, when he himself perpetuated the menace as the union Home Minister. He even tortured my father in Tihar Jail,” Sajad said.
Reacting to Omar Abdullah’s statement at Handwara that blood of Kashmiris was not cheap and troops involved in human rights violations would be dealt with severely, Sajad said, “I challenge Omar Abdullah to put his words into action and see the consequences. If he utters a word against the security agencies who recently killed Habibullah Khan, a beggar, in cold blood and drowned a teenager in Sopur, his government will have to vanish because the key lies with the Centre.”
Terming the passage of inter-district recruitment bill as unconstitutional and anti-Kashmiri, the firebrand PC leader said; “I am not able to understand why the Kupwara people were made to beat the drums and celebrate as they didn’t get anything in the bill.”
Criticizing the MLAs from Kupwara, he said; “MLAs are 
selling helpers’ jobs and working as contractors and partners in different developmental works. It is a shame for them that they have started interfering in selection of helpers in Anganwari Centers and are getting their relatives appointed. District administration is working under the pressure of these MLAs and poor people are suffering,” Sajad said.
Castigating MLA Langate, Engineer Abdul Rashid for ‘conspiring against Peoples Conference,’ Sajad said he (Rashid) was ‘a big Bhand dancing at the tunes of Omar Abdullah.’
“Was he (Rashid) celebrating gifting eight percent reservation to SCs in all the districts of Kashmir where there is no SC population?” Sajad Lone asked.
Addressing concern over the ‘discrimination’ with Kupwara district in particular and north Kashmir in general, Sajad said; “Kupwara district is being discriminated on all fronts and successive governments have ignored this district. Its people are being treated as easy vote banks. Roads and other infrastructure here is in shambles and no one cares,” he said.
“Though Kupwara was most feasible and deserving place for central university, still it was given to Ganderbal, the constituency of Omar Abdullah, only on political basis,” Sajad said.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 21 Apr 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:00:00 IST