National Conference Vice-President Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that PAGD is upbeat with the “unprecedented support” it is receiving from people across Jammu and Kashmir.
“There is no question of double speak about supporting the best candidate because the best candidate for J&K and to fight to restore what we have lost are the PAGD candidates (sic).”
He made these comments while chairing a meet of central zone functionaries at Nawa e Subah, Srinagar, a party handout said.
The issues concerning the party were discussed in the meeting, besides that predicaments faced by the people on various accounts were also discussed.
The participants gave their estimation of the prevailing political situation in their respective areas.
“We are doing politics in extraordinary times, never in history post-1996 has the government of India been so disinclined towards contesting candidates. Such an outlook is unheard of in an emancipated world and in the post independent India, where anyone who is participating in a democratic exercise is being intimidated and vilified,” the NC vice-president said while addressing the meet. “On the other hand there are people who are working against the interests of Jammu and Kashmir.”
“Considering the imminent threat people of J&K have made it a point to give a befitting reply to such forces which are working in the direction which are not in the interest of the nation in general and J&K in particular,” he said.
He alleged that a “lot” which has surfaced to strengthen BJP, RSS “is apparently being facilitated by the administration in the ongoing DDC elections by circumventing all norms. In spite of that people coming in large numbers to ensure that anti Kashmir forces don’t get a chance to play any mischief with the mandate in wake of any thin voting and ubiquitous favouritism of administration towards BJP, its ilk,” he said.
“The party has given primacy to the interests of the people of J&K over its own interests only to ensure that realization that has dawned upon the political parties in J&K is able to endure the antagonism from BJP, its Team-B (sic),” he, according to the statement said.
“Ditching all the allegations that it was the power that the party hankered for, our party president took a lead and cobbled an alliance for the restoration of restoration of J&K’s identity. Party president knew that the movement we get splintered, our political adversaries in the shape of BJP, and its team of pliant stooges will get a free run to trade off all vital interests of people of J&K for petty political gains. It was in that perspective that the party sought to give primacy to PAGD and willing to give any sacrifice for the same in the future also, because we are not fighting for power,” the statement said.
“Participating in DDC elections is part of the struggle for the restoration of our rights which were spitefully annexed by the ruling BJP. We are fighting to see our state flag hoisted next to the national flag. Moreover, we aren’t seeking anything outside the ambit of the country’s constitution, we are fighting for the rights which are there in the constitution itself,” he said.
“Keeping in view the all out support of people for PAGD, the edgy BJP has increased its tirade against the PAGD leadership orchestrating false allegations against them and by employing various intimidating measures to dissuade the People’s Alliance,” the party vice-president said.
“Having failed on its previous planks, it is now resorting to propping up the names of PAGD leadership in Roshni Act, however the allegations will also stand debunked when subjected to fact-checking,” he said.
“A false perception is being sold about ROSHNI Scheme but how could it possibly be illegal when it was passed by the state legislature and also accorded concurrence by the then governor. In the spree of mounting tirade on PAGD, BJP fails to remember that it was the same governor’s post which was callously, unconstitutionally and undemocratically used to dismember and disenfranchise the state. If we go by BJP’s analogy, then all the measures which were carried out by the governor are principally illegal because it didn’t even receive the assent of the state legislature,” he said.
“Why is it that only PAGD is targeted? What about BJP’s own members whose names in fact have propped up in the land grab? The names of one of its members, former speaker and the former deputy chief minister, as a point of fact have surfaced in illicit land grab in Jammu,” he said.
Among others the meeting was attended by party’s General Secretary Haji Ali Muhammad Sagar, Additional General Secretary Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani, Senior leaders Mian Altaf Ahmed, Mubarak Gul, Agha Syed Mahmood, Irfan Shah, central Zone President Ali Muhammad Dar, Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar, Dr. Muhammad Shafi, political advisor to vice president Tanvir Sadiq, provincial secretary Showkat Ahmed Mir, vice provincial president Syed Tauqeer Ahmed, spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar, YNC PP Salman Ali Sagar, provincial president women’s wing Er. Sabiya Qadri, Ahsan Pardesi, Mudassar Shahmiri, Younis Gul, Ghulam Nabi Tailbali, Advocate Shabir Ahmed, Asiya Jameel and Asif Noor.