Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Dec 27: National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to initiate process for addressing the internal and external dimension of problems in Jammu and Kashmir, saying that dialogue is the only option to steer out the State from the present morass.
“Peace and cooperation form core of neighbourly relations and, therefore, India and Pakistan must resume dialogue”, Dr Abdullah said while addressing workers here this afternoon.
The NC president, accompanied by former Minister Mian Altaf Ahmed and provincial president Devender Singh Rana, invoked the Vajpayee doctrine and said that if neighbours cannot be changed, what stops the two countries from talking to each other and resolve their problems amicably.
Farooq hoped hostilities to be overtaken by better understanding between the two nations, saying peace is imperative for prosperity in the subcontinent and bringing relief to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who have been the worse victims of animosity. He made a mention of border skirmishes over decades and said that these were detrimental for both India and Pakistan, as any full-fledged conflict between the nuke States will lead to devastation and destruction in the entire region.
He also urged New Delhi to address the political issue of Kashmir by talking to all shades of public opinion on priority, as further delay will only worsen the situation. He said that everyone needs to be talked to, be it Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, if end goal is to herald peace in the State.
Referring to the accusations of the PDP in holding National Conference responsible for the Kashmir unrest, Dr Abdullah said: “Those blaming us are conveniently forgetting the historical role of National Conference in upholding the unity of the State and safeguarding interests of its people by fighting tyranny and oppression tirelessly. History is replete of innumerable sacrifices of our workers for the honour and dignity of the people”.
He said being the inheritor of the legacy of sacrifices; the National Conference will always stand by the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. He advised Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to shun petty politics for concealing the failures of her Government.
He referred to forcible eviction of some segments of society from their dwelling places which they have been rehabilitating from generations and said those harassing them will have to answer. He cautioned against the machinations of divisive forces, who, he said, were trying to divide people on one or the other pretext. “Unity and amity are the strongest tools to isolate such elements, whose politics is based on whipping up passions by exploiting public sentiment”, he added.
The National Conference president said the PDP-BJP coalition cannot hide its failures by indulging in blame games. “They will have to account for mis-governance and the mess created across the State by non-performance during past over one and a half year”, he said and took jibe over the coalition for talking about resumption of tourist activity.
He said the infrastructure is in shambles due to developmental inertia and the coalition is expecting tourists to visit the State with no facilities available. He said roads were in dilapidated condition and utility services worth just name. He said lack of governance has taken heavy toll of public utilities, thus leaving the people to fend for themselves.
Deploring attempts of polarizing the society, NC provincial president Devender Singh Rana exhorted the cadre to stand united and foil all the machinations of reactionary forces by further strengthening the bonds of brotherhood and regional unity. He said National Conference stands guarantee to single entity of Jammu and Kashmir State.
Later, taking to reporters in Jammu, Dr. Abdullah said the idea of issuing ‘domicile certificates’ to West Pakistan Refugees was unacceptable and that National Conference won’t be a mute spectator to such extra-constitutional misadventures that aim at circumventing the State’s special Constitutional status and character.
He said there was a clear effort to exploit the West Pakistan Refugee issue to further a traditional agenda of weakening the State’s special status and eroding the State Subject Law.
“These belated sympathizers of the West Pakistan Refugees have never done anything to help them in the pursuit of their day-to-day challenges and are exploiting this issue now only to serve their own political interests. While we have always empathized with the refugees and will continue to do so, there is no denying the fact that they are not and can not become the State Subjects of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Any efforts by the State Government to the contrary will be unconstitutional and illegal”, Dr. Abdullah said.
“The Government’s excuse that certain certificates and documents are being issued to West Pakistan Refugees as proofs of identification are absurd justifications. West Pakistan Refugees have already been given Aadhaar cards and before that other proofs of identity that enable them to apply for Central Government and other jobs. Why the present Government suddenly found the need to issue another form of an identity proof is incomprehensible”?, the National Conference president asked.
He also expressed serious concern over repeated statements by senior BJP functionaries on this sensitive issue calling this move a “first step” towards granting full citizenship rights to West Pakistan Refugees.
“These statements by senior BJP functionaries have exposed the intentions of the State Government. Contrary to explanations being provided by the PDP on this move, BJP leaders continue to maintain that this move is a first step in the direction of granting West Pakistan Refugees full State Subject rights. This then becomes a very serious problem and is a challenge for the State that will have to be confronted with responsibility and sincerity. National Conference will do everything necessary to ensure such machinations to erode the State’s special status are defeated”, Farooq said.
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