National Conference vice- president Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the Government of India should repose its faith in the Apex court of the country and refrain from bullying the J&K people with the unwarranted and intimidatory threats on annihilating the Articles 35-A and 370.
Omar while addressing a workers convention in Eidgahconstituency here said that the untenable advisories emanating from theadministration have created fear psychosis in the state in particular theKashmir region. “People in the Valley are going through anxiety in wake of therumor mongering set afloat by the administration. Whosoever goes to governmentoffices is being warned to stock necessary household items and other ediblesbefore 15 August. Here what is worrisomeis that the rumors are being set afloat by the people in administration itself.The rumor mongering has created panicky and fear psychosis among the people,”he said adding, “People are being told to stock ration, fill their automobiles,and switch to land lines. The news that the police stations have been told toacquire bulldozers is also keeping the rumor mill churning. People have becomeanxious. What is it that the present government wants to achieve by spreadingsuch rumors?”
The NC vice-president said that on one hand the GOI and thestate administration are boasting off the improvement in the situation in thestate following a steep decline in the militant attacks and stone pelting inthe Valley. “But on the other hand undue rumors are being spread by theadministration itself that the state will once again be on fire after 15August. What is it the Government of India and the state wants to achieve bybullying people? It is not New Delhi that suffers whenever situation isdifficult in the state. It is the people of Kashmir that bear the direct bruntof tumultuous situation. The statementsemanating from Union ministers, hinting towards the abrogation of Art 35-Aafter the 15 August, have also kept the rumor mills churning. The people arebecoming restive.”
Omar said the petitions pertaining to Articles 35-A and 370are sub-judice and that the GOI should wait for the final verdict. “Do they notbelieve in the final decree of the Supreme Court of India. Contrary to thedisdain the incumbent central government has for the rule of law and theprocedures established by the law of country, our party has reposed its faithin the Supreme Court. The matter is subjudice therefore it should be kept aloof from politicking. I would appeal GOIto refrain from commenting on the issue unless the final verdict comes,” hesaid.
Omar was very vocal in his attack on the forces attackingthe integrity of the state. “Today we are hearing that the state will betrifurcated. However let me make it very clear that any misadventure in thisdirection will set the state on fire. Any anticipated trifurcation of the statewon’t limit itself to regions. Any whimsical attempt to trifurcate the statewill eventually divide the state on religious lines. In those circumstances thestate will be divided on Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist lines,” he said adding,”What is it that the New Delhi wants to suggest by proposing such far-fetchedideas. What do they want to suggest? Do they want to assert that the people’sdecision of joining the union of India was wrong? Do they want to suggest thatthe “two nation theory” is right? Do they mean the struggle of Sher- e- Kashmiragainst two nation theory was wrong? Do they mean that the Slogan of Sher-e-Kashmir on Hindu-Muslim unity was erroneous? If yes let them come forward andmake it public. As far as our party is concerned we reject any idea of divingthe state on religious and regional lines, our vision of Jammu and Kashmir isshorn of communal, regional overtones. We stand for a united state, withequitable justice for all the sections of society living across the state. Wewill safe guard the prized diversity of our state come what may.”
The NC vice-president while exuding confidence into theworkers said, “For past four days NC general secretary is touring the Chenaband addressing various worker’s conventions there. The enthusiasm of the peopletowards NC is awe-inspiring and encouraging. Never before have people shownsuch fondness for NC as they are doing it now. In Inderwal, it was for the first time after 2015 that we held a workersconvention. The convention saw a massiveparticipation of people from across the constituency. Likewise in Doda,Kishtawar and other areas of Chenab valley there is a wave in favor of NationalConference. People living in the arduous areas of Chenab valley and Pir Panchalareas are all out for National Conference. The rows of the party rank and fileare increasing day by day; the workers have high energy level to take on to anychallenge facing the state. The people living in those areas are exhibitingthat they are equally passionate about the identity of the state.”
Rejecting the intemperate rants of the Governor againstpoliticians regarding corruption he said, “Let him come up with a penny ofevidence in this matter against us. I am convinced that he won’t be able tocome up with anything against us. Our conscience is clear, we are not afraid ofanything; let the governor come up with any irregularities, if any. We neverwent to Delhi to seek any thing for us. We always went to Delhi to seek helpfor our people. We didn’t barter our values. Let them constitute a commission.”
Referring to the jibes from certain quarters that only 10%people voted for party president Dr Farooq Abdullah the vice-president said,”It is not Dr Farooq who is to be blamed for this. It is the administrationitself who failed to create an atmosphere in the Kashmir where in people couldhave voted in large numbers. If they saythat only 10% voted in the parliament elections than they should ascertain asto why 90% refrained from voting. Theneed of the hour requires the New Delhi to hold parleys with those who didn’tcame out to vote. The powers sitting inNew Delhi are also reluctant to talk to those who have different views otherthan that ours. But New Delhi does not want to have parleys with anybody herein Kashmir. They are only interested in those few who have been trying theirlevel best to become leaders. The powers in New Delhi are interested in thosefew who take money from them. New Delhi is interested only in those whose soleagenda is to add colors to the nefarious designs of such forces as want toobliterate the identity of the state.”
In his address party’s provincial president Nasir Aslam Waniwhile expressing concern over the development deficit in Srinagar city said,”Nothing substantial was done to meet the development demands of the people ofSrinagar. The tall claims of the PDP-BJPgovernment since 2015 on addressing thedrainage problems in Srinagar city, flood mitigation plan, smart city, ringroad, the protection of culturalheritage of Shahar e Khas, free housing turned out to be a damp squib. In ourtimes we mulled to increase the spawn of Srinagar city, to meet to the risingdemands of housing, but they didn’t work in that direction. That is preciselywhy NC won with a big lead in Parliament elections in all the eightconstituencies of Srinagar parliamentary constituency.” Party’s senior leaderand former Speaker Mubarak Gul said the consequences of election boycott in theensuing assembly elections will have far reaching consequences on the identityand integrity of the state.
Among others district president Srinagar, Peer Afaq, YNCvice-president Younis Gul, YNC district president Khalid Rathore also addressedthe workers and impressed upon them to increase their interaction with the people.