Though National Conference General Secretary, Sheikh Nazir Ahmad, is not doing well and he seldom appears in party meetings, but when he does, it makes headline. Recently, during a membership drive for his party, he spoke for two hours and talked tough. Nazir, like his cousin and foot in mouth NC leader Dr Mustafa Kamal, lashed out at India and even challenged the states accession with the Indian union.
The chief minister Omar Abdullah had recently stated that his relatives like Mustafa Kamal were creating problems for him by issuing anti India and anti congress statements. Yet Nazir and Kamal continue to prove ‘problematic’ for the CM.
NC, which is heading the coalition government since 2008, is playing a dual policy since last couple of years. It seems that the party has strategically left its General Secretary and Add General Secretary free to speak in a tune of pro-freedom leaders to squeeze their space.
Terming the Instrument of Accession between Jammu Kashmir and New Delhi conditional, National Conference (NC) General Secretary Advocate Sheikh Nazir Ahmad said that Congress should fulfill promises made by Jawaharlal Nehru with Kashmiris for resolution of Kashmir issue.
“New Delhi must keep all those promises made by Nehru to Indira Gandhi with Kashmiris. It is a fact and international community stands witness that Nehru while shaking hands with Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah at a huge public gathering at LalChowk (on November 18, 1947) made a promise that when peace is restored in the state, the people will be provided an opportunityto decide their future whether to remain with India or Pakistan or Independent. The promise is yet to be fulfilled,” he said.
Backtracking from his own stand in the same breath Nazir said, “National Conference has given the Autonomy document for resolution of Kashmir issue and party will continue to fight for its restoration.”
Sheikh Nazir said that the Instrument of Accession between New Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir is conditional. “It was not Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah who acceded to New Delhi, it was Maharaja Hari Singh who did so on three subjects, Defence, Foreign Affairs and Communication,” he said.
“It was agreed upon that the state shall have its own President, Constitution, Election Commission, Supreme Court and Flag. It is a fact that Nehru sent the army to the state at the request of Maharaja Hari Singh,” he said.
Accusing New Delhi of backstabbing the Kashmiri leadership time and again, NC General Secretary asked the Government of India to fulfill the promise of plebiscite in Kashmir.
