Srinagar
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said that the people of J&K didn’t see PM Modi put into practice the catchwords of ‘Jamhooriyat, Insaniyat, and Kashmiriyat’, saying that PM Modi failed to carry forward the legacy of Vajpayee during his stint in power.
Addressing a mammoth public meet at Damhal Hanjipura, Kulgam party president said that the people of the state have not seen Modi deliver on his promises. “His words have been confined to rhetoric only. Had he the sincerity of thought to implement it, he would have done so since 2014, however, no concrete step was taken by the incumbent BJP government led by PM Modi to realize it on the ground. Today we see him out ‘Vajpayee Formula’, why didn’t he implement it on the ground for the past five years. We didn’t see him do justice either with the people of our state. On the contrary, the people of our state have never in history suffered so immensely as they did during PM Modi led BJP government.”
Party president while underscoring the need of dialogue between India and Pakistan said, “Our party has always maintained that dialogue is the only way to resolve the protracted issue of Kashmir. Our party deems Indo- Pak camaraderie essential for peace and prosperity to return to our state, which always comes in the line of fire between the two. There is no substitute to dialogue.”
Party president said that there has been an exponential increase in miseries faced by the people of the state since BJP-PDP embraced each other. “We had cautioned late Mufti sahib against joining hands with BJP. Our party and other secular forces in the state had offered unconditional support to PDP to form government in the state, but he didn’t heed our appeal, what followed is history. He chose not to side with the aspirations of the people of the state from whom he had sought support to keep BJP out of the state. He chose to betray, and belittle the mandate of people. Mufti’s and PDP after forming a government with BJP took it upon itself to destroy what was left of our special status in terms of our fiscal autonomy. They crawled, when they were just told to hunker down by their former ally. We saw them implement GST, SARFESI, NFSA and much more,” he said.
Dr Farooq while underscoring the significance of ensuing elections said, “This time we shall be voting for our identity, and the integrity of the state. Our state is facing a grim situation; the need of the hour demands us to forge unity. The situation is no different from the British era; the British prolonged their rule in India with their divide and rule policy. We aren’t still independent in the true sense, today our people continue to fall prey to the shenanigans of those forces who for their petty electoral gains are dividing the people on caste, creed and sectarian considerations. However we should remain vigilant of such forces, their sole agenda is to destroy the pluralistic visage, unique identity and special constitutional status of our state. We have to speak in one voice if we want to protect our identity. Today our sole agenda is to secure the states unique identity, however, we cannot think of taking on our enemies if we fall prey to their divisive agenda,” he said.
Dr Farooq in a frontal attack on central government led by Prime Minister Modi said that Modi squandered the mandate of the people by its imprudent policies. “Having been failed to deliver on key issues that the country is facing, he is racking up emotive issues to subvert the attention of people from the real issues affecting poor and middle class; farmers and labour class. People are asking where the 2 crore jobs are, every single household commodity ranging from cooking gas to ration has become dearer. The prices of petrol and diesel have also soared up considerably,” he said, adding, “PM Modi led BJP government has deceived people on every single promise it made to them in 2014.”
Dr Farooq while flaying PM Modi for creating war hysteria in the country to divert the attention of people from the farmer distress, price rise and other foreign policy failures said, “War is no solution, it brings with itself innumerable miseries. The tallest leader of BJP once said that friends can be changed, but neighbours cannot be changed. However, Modi failed to carry forward the legacy of Vajpayee.”
Dr Farooq while lashing out the BJP-RSS for tarnishing the secular countenance of India, said, “Today we are facing such forces in our country that have always shown abhorrence for the inclusiveness of Indian democratic set up. The forces are pitching one community with another without assuming the far-reaching consequences. The constitution of India ensures all its citizenry equal and undaunted basic rights.”
Party president while referring to the sorry tale of minorities in India under BJP rule said, “Today our nation is facing immense hazard in the form of communal strife. We are at crossroads, now it is up to us to decide if India remains secular progressive in its outlook wherein all the communities thrive and draw their sustenance affably or a country which is tangled with the clutches of communal strife and bigotry. Now it is up to the people. The opportunity has come; we should not let it pass by us unutilized.”
Among others party’s additional general secretary Dr Sheikh Mustufa Kamal, party’s senior leader Sakina Itoo, Dr Bashir Ahmad Veeri also addressed the people and sought support for party’s parliamentary candidate from south Kashmir Hasnain Masoodi.
