Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, Dec 5: Ahead of counting of votes for 4 Legislative Council seats in the State, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that the ruling coalition will sweep the polls by winning all the seats.
Addressing National Conference Ministers, leaders and workers on 107th birth anniversary of his grandfather, National Conference founder and former Chief Minister, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah at his mausoleum at Naseem Bagh-Hazratbal, Omar said: “You people (NC workers) have put in hard efforts and have motivated the Sarpanchs and Panchs to vote for the coalition candidates for four seats of Legislative Council. Your hard work would not go waste and I am confident that the coalition will win all the seats. The fate of the candidates has been sealed in the Electronic Voting Machines, but I am sure that the coalition would sail through.”
Omar claimed that there is strong Panchayati Raj system in place in the State and said the amendments made in the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act have given great powers to the Panchayat representatives. He said Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was the proponent of Panchayati Raj system and hailed his contribution for overall development of the State.
“The Panchayati Raj system of Jammu and Kashmir is one of the best models of the country. Credit for this goes to Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and also for the amendments made by him and Dr. Farooq Abdullah. These amendments were introduced later by the other States and as such we should be proud of our achievement in making a vibrant Panchayati Raj system,” he said.
Omar while taking a dig at the gun culture said that long pending issues can be solved through dialogue and reconciliation. He said violence has no role in the present day context adding that National Conference has always been a supporter of peace and bonhomie. He said the NC founder had predicted that the issues would be solved through consensus and not confrontation.
“If there is bonhomie and friendship between Palestine and Israel today it is all due to the dialogue and reconciliation. These countries have understood the importance of non-violence over violence. The issue of Ireland has also been solved through non-violent means after both the parties decided to give up the stubborn attitude,” he said.
Omar took pot-shots at people who, according to him, are defaming the NC founder by distorting the decisions made by him or opposing him for popularizing democracy in the State. He said time has proved the detractors of NC founder wrong adding that masses have benefitted a lot by the flourishing of the democracy.
“Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was the torch bearer of democracy in the State. When he started his campaign some of people opposed him saying that nothing would come out of the electoral politics. But as on date his critics have fought more elections than him. This shows the success of democracy in the State and he deserves all the accolades,” said Omar.
He said that NC founder was instrumental in popularizing education in the State adding that education flourished during his tenure as Chief Minister. He said the decision of granting the land to tiller proved historical coming to relief of thousands of peasants in the State. He added that Jammu and Kashmir has traversed on the path of progress and development during the rule of National Conference.
“Our State has progressed by leaps and bounds and at the same time our neighbouring country is in a bad shape. There are no medical colleges there and acute dearth of universities, agricultural universities and professional institutions is also found there. This should serve as an eye-opener to the people who talk very high of that country and are not ready to accept the accomplishments made here,” said Omar.
Earlier, Omar laid wreath over the grave of National Conference founder and offered Fatah. He prayed for peace and development in the state and well-being of the people.
Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy and National Conference President, Dr. Farooq Abdullah could not attend the function due to the voting on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail sector in the Lok Sabha.
Legislative Assembly Speaker, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Minister for Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather, Minister for Rural Development, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Minister for Higher Education, Abdul Gani Malik, Minister for Social Welfare, Sakina Itoo, Advisors to the Chief Minister, Mubarak Gul and Devender Singh Rana, Minister of State for Home, Nasir Aslam Wani and Minister of State for R&B, Javaid Ahmed Dar were also present on the occasion.
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