Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 25: Stressing the need for opening doors to dialogue to end the political stalemate in Jammu and Kashmir, former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah today said New Delhi should not waste any further time and engage with stakeholders in the State.
President of the main opposition National Conference (NC) Dr Abdullah called on Governor N N Vohra at Raj Bhavan, a spokesman of the NC said here. Dr Abdullah asked the Governor to impress upon relevant quarters to open doors to dialogue and political engagement to end the political stalemate in the State.
He said there can be no alternative to a political initiative and New Delhi should not waste any further time and engage with stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir. He apprised the Governor of systematic and planned efforts to persecute and dis-empower the Gujjar and Bakerwal communities as well as minorities in Jammu Province and said divisive forces were making concerted attempts to disturb communal harmony in the State.
Dr Abdullah also highlighted the apathy and indifference of the administration towards victims of cross-border shelling and firing along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC) especially in frontier areas of Poonch, Rajouri, Hiranagar, R S Pura, Kana Chak, Kathua, Suchetgarh, Abdulllian, Kupwara and Uri.
He said Gujjar and Bakerwal communities form an integral part of the State’s diverse and harmonious demography and their rights cannot be violated under the fig-leaf of reclaiming forest land.
“Gujjars and Bakerwal are a part and parcel of our society and form a positive part of the ecosystem in areas where these communities have been traditional nomadic dwellers,” he said, adding that the administration cannot dislodge and selectively target Gujjars and Bakerwals by uprooting them and launching an assault on their right to live a life of dignity.
“Members of the nomadic communities are being persecuted and harassed under an elaborate plan to sow seeds of fragmentation and communal animosity within the State. Our social fabric is our most vital asset and any nefarious plan to target a particular community is an assault on the State as a whole”, Dr Abdullah informed Vohra.
“Victims of cross-LoC and cross-border shelling have not been compensated and what’s even worse, the administration has not even made an attempt to assess losses and damages suffered by the residents,’’ he said.
“Shopkeepers have been robbed of their livelihood and private property has suffered the brunt. While promises were made to construct bunkers that would be used as safe shelters during shelling, nothing has been done on the ground. Promises to allot plots to residents living close to the LoC and IB have also not been converted into visible action on the ground. People living in these areas are suffering and living in constant fear and anxiety and the Government isn’t paying heed to their misery,’’ Dr Abdullah said in his meeting with the Governor apprising him of feedback received from inhabitations of frontier areas during his extensive visit to Rajouri, Poonch and Mendhar.
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