Srinagar, Dec 9 : Former chief minister and National Conference (NC) Vice President Omar Abdullah on Saturday said that NC is not fighting for acquiring power but restoration of people’s abridged democratic, and constitutional rights.
According to a press release, he was addressing a one-day party workers’ convention at Devsar. It was organised by In- Charge constituency Devsar Pirzada Feroz Ahmad. Party General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar, Treasurer Shami Oberoi, Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani, State secretary Sakina Itoo, Political Advisor to VP Mudassar Shahmiri, State Spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar, South Zone President Syed Tauqeer Ahmed and others participated.
Reiterating his stand, Omar said that NC will continue its fight for the restoration of the hard earned rights of the people of J&K. “We are not fighting for power, we are fighting for the rights of our people. It is people who matter for us, not power. We will not barter our dignity for power and chair. Politics for us is not the means to acquire power, it is a medium for us to protect the vital interests of our people and to serve them to the best of capability. We won’t revert on our promises.”
NC leader urged all the people associated with the party to remain committed to peaceful means. “I want to assure all your colleagues that whatever the decision of December 11 will be, our fight will not stop, we will not back down from our mission. We will continue to fight till we reach our destination.”
He said he has never seen such a period in my life in which the machinery of the government is being used against the political parties that it stands for. The National Conference has been at the forefront of rendering sacrifices for peace and democracy in Jammu and Kashmir and for the honor and dignity of the people here, the former chief minister said.
On J&K administration’s approach he said, “Today they are trying to scuttle our voice. When we speak, we ask for the rights of our people, when we talk, we talk about democracy, about elections and about the problems and difficulties faced by the people, so that the voice of the common people reaches the government. But here they find excuses to silence us. The verdict on Article 370 is scheduled to come on 11 December and only yesterday we were asked to cancel today’s programme . On the 11th we had a programme in Sangrama, however the government cancelled the permission. Not only that but my colleagues are already being told that they will not be allowed to leave their residences on the 11th. At least let the decision come first.”
He said that JKNC has always supported the constitution and it has been our position that “our fight will be peaceful.”