KL NEWS NETWORK

SRINAGAR

National Conference Saturday demanded revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from J&K on the ‘same lines’ on which the Act was withdrawn from Tripura.

Speaking at the District Convention of the Party for Srinagar, Senior NC politicians unanimously passed a resolution seeking the immediate revocation of AFSPA from the State of Jammu and Kashmir as was done in Tripura, a party statement said Saturday evening. The resolution adopted resolutions too on the occassion.

NC General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar strongly condemned “wild, communal and insensitive” statements issued by senior BJP leaders and spokespersons and said such remarks have given rise to serious “apprehensions” in the minds of the people in J&K.

“The PDP-BJP alliance in J&K is a communal front of those forces who have traditionally been opposed to the ideals of secularism and egalitarianism in India. To satisfy his insatiable appetite for political power, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed joined hands with the same party that he sought votes against in the run-up to the Assembly Elections. This is an unholy, communal nexus that aims to further the longstanding ideology of RSS when it comes to Jammu and Kashmir. This alliance is inherently opposed to Article 370, the State Subject Laws and aims to suppress and undermine the political aspirations and sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

Adding he said, “Rajnath Singh’s recent statement has made it clear that Mufti Sayeed has sold-out to the BJP on the question of separate townships for Kashmiri Pandits, a charge he wrongly denied in the Legislative Assembly. BJP’s National Spokesperson Dr Sambit Patra has also officially declared that BJP continues to be committed to the abrogation of Article 370. Mufti Sahab’s continued silence on these issues raised by his Alliance Partner indicates a complete sell-out and doesn’t auger well for the people of this State.”

Uncle of former Cm Omar Abdullah, Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamaal welcomed the revocation of AFSPA from Tripura and demanded that the PDP-BJP Government “initiates a similar process in J&K and revoked the Act without any further delay”.

“What can be done in Tripura can be done in J&K as well. While in opposition PDP always said the State Cabinet could revoke AFSPA if it intended to do so. What is stopping Mufti Sayeed from revoking AFSPA from J&K now that he heads the State Cabinet and is in an alliance with BJP, allegedly on the basis of a ‘Common Minimum Program’ (CMP) that hinges on the revocation of AFSPA? PDP should put its money where its mouth is and revoke this Act without any melodrama and contrarianism. Omar Abdullah demanded the revocation of AFSPA as the elected Chief Minister of the State on the floor of the Assembly. Former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram is on record to testify Omar Abdullah’s sincere and serious efforts to get the Act revoked. Unfortunately at that time PDP chose partisan politics over the interests of the State and chose melodrama over consensus. It is also amusing to see certain Congress Leaders from J&K demanding the revocation of AFSPA. Ironically, these Congress leaders including then PCC Chief Professor Saifuddin Soz opposed National Conference’s demand of AFSPA revocation. Omar Abdullah and National Conference single-handedly strived and struggled for revoking AFSPA from J&K and the party shall continue to struggle to get this Act removed from the State,” he said.

Addressing the convention, NC provincial president, Nasir Aslam Wani lashed out at the PDP-BJP Government for ‘failing to fulfill’ its promises to the flood-victims and playing with the honor and dignity of the State.

“PDP told us they wanted immediate elections in the middle of the flood havoc on the premise that they would carry out the comprehensive rehabilitation of the Flood Victims. Contrary to this, after coming to power in an unholy marriage of convenience with the BJP, Mufti Sahab’s Government clearly opposed Rs 44,000 Crore Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Package submitted by the previous National Conference-led State Government. Till today the prospects of rehabilitation continue to be elusive while thousands of flood victims suffer due to the State and Central Governments’ apathy and indifference. While the Flood Relief Package was announced for Uttarakhand within a month of the disaster, flood victims in J&K continue to suffer and the Rehabilitation Package is nowhere in sight. The PDP-BJP Government has failed on all fronts within the first 100 days of its existence and there is widespread anti-incumbency and hostility against the State Government. On the political front, this Government has compromise on the honor and dignity of the State. Soon after it came to power, this Government played a joke with the people of this State by withdrawing a circular stating adherence to the existing status and conventions of the State Flag. They disrespected not only our flag but also our political sentiments and aspirations in doing so,” the NC Provincial President stated in his address.

Resolutions Adopted:

Resolution 1: “National Conference demands the immediate revocation of AFSPA from Jammu and Kashmir as was done in Tripura. NC has always strived for the revocation of the Act and will continue to strive for it till the time the act is completely revoked as our party is of the firm belief that the further continuation of the Act is not in sync with the significant decrease in violence that has been achieved in the past six years. NC Working President and then Chief Minister, Jenab Omar Abdullah had actively strived for the revocation of the Act and the party shall continue its struggle to get AFSPA revoked.”

Resolution 2: “National Conference seeks the restoration of talks between India and Pakistan without any further delay. Dialogue between the two countries is imperative for the resolution of all issues that plague relations between New Delhi and Islamabad. Jammu and Kashmir is both the worst victim of hostility between the two countries and can be the biggest beneficiary of peace. A prolonged diplomatic stalemate between the two countries goes against the common pursuits of peace, cooperation prosperity and progress in the sub-continent and also endangers the dividends of peace and normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.”

Resolution 3: “National Conference condemns with great disappointment the criminal and continued neglect of the victims of the September Floods by the incumbent PDP-BJP Coalition Government and demands the acceptance of the 44,000 crore Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Package Proposal submitted to the Government of India by the previous State Government headed by Jenab Omar Abdullah. Thousands of flood victims continue to wait for dignified relief, compensation and rehabilitation for the losses suffered in the floods. We demand immediate and comprehensive efforts by the State and Central Government to help in getting their lives back on track.”

Resolution 4:  “National Conference demands the immediate revocation and scrapping of the anti-youth and unjust New Recruitment Policy introduced by the PDP-BJP Coalition Government. This policy is a cruel joke with the educated unemployed youth of the State and puts their future in great peril. The policy robs our educated unemployed youth of the basic rights of dignified employment, job stability and career growth. National Conference as already stated by NC Working President Jenab Omar Abdullah, will approach the Honorable Courts if the Government proceeds with this anti-youth policy. We support the struggle of the educated unemployed youth of the State against this policy.”

Resolution 5:  “We condemn the loss of innocent lives in North Kashmir recently and express our heartfelt condolence with the bereaved families. We demand that the culprits be brought to the book without any delay. Violence has no place in a civilized society that enshrines the values of human-rights. We ask the State Government to probe these attacks and also restore a sense of safety among people connected to the Telecommunications Industry including Mobile Tower Landlords, Vendors and Salesmen. The party also demands the immediate dispensation of ex-gratia relief in favor of the bereaved families and that a Government Job be immediately announced in favor of the next of kin of the victims who lost their lives.”

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