KL Report
JAMMU
Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah who is also Working President of National Conference, Tuesday asserted that National Conference will continue to remain an ally of United Progressive Alliance and never join National Democratic Alliance-BJP.
“We are not the people who change horses’ midstream”, he said, adding that it is better to remain out of power than compromising with the ideals nurtured by party leadership. He recalled the observations of Sheikh Abdullah on being “steadfast to the chosen path” and said “he would always say that it is better to get betrayed than to betray anyone.”
“I know NC-Congress alliance is much to the discomfiture of certain political entities who want to create confusion”, Omar said.
“There is no question of making any compromise with the principles and have any relationship with BJP”, the Chief Minister said while addressing a rally of NC workers at a reception held at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan in Jammu.
Omar Abdullah expressed surprise over the misrepresentation of his press interaction on the opening of Civil Secretariat and said that he had made it very clear in his reply to a question that there was no Modi wave in the country. “I had only said that Modi may have an effect over his party’s rank and file but there is no Modi wave in the country”, he said, adding that this statement of fact was unfortunately presented with a different slant. Making a difference between ‘wave’ and ‘effect’, he cited the enthusiasm in public across the country when late Rajiv Gandhi contested 1984 elections as also the similar wave witnessed in Jammu and Kashmir when Dr Farooq Abdullah swept 1996 Assembly elections with National Conference getting more than two-third majority.
The Chief Minister said the National Conference alliance with NDA in 1999 was mere an arrangement with a liberal leader like Atal Behari Vajpayee.
Omar said, “National Conference inherits a glorious heritage of amity and brotherhood, bequeathed by Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah, and there was no question of deviation from this path.”
Omar criticized PDP for taking out ‘peace procession’ in Srinagar after the borders have turned silent. “Where were they for all these days when our people were getting bullets alongside the IB and LoC”, he asked.
Without naming Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, the Working President of National Conference said that PDP Patron is fashioned to pretend that he is not power hungry. “It’s sheer hypocrisy and a blatant lie”, he said and added “I am in politics and want power to serve the people to mitigate their difficulties; satiating their developmental needs, wiping out tears from their eyes and ensuring them to enjoy the fruit of prosperous life”.
Omar Abdullah said his government has completed almost five years and the next over a year is a big challenge to carry forward the mission of transforming the socio-economic scenario in all the three regions with added enthusiasm. He sought the cooperation of people in this gigantic effort. He also cautioned the people against the machinations of peace inimical elements and referred to the unfortunate situation erupting in Kishtwar. “There are people who want to disturb peace and harmony by creating wedge between different segments of the society and we have to maintain vigil against them”, he said while referring to the post Kishtwar reaction in Rajouri, Kathua, Samba and Jammu. He vowed that his government will alienate such forces and not allow them to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere.
