Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, May 1: Former J&K Chief Minister and National Conference president, Dr Farooq Abdullah today launched scathing attack on the Central Government, saying it is unfortunate that G20 meetings were scheduled in Ladakh and Kashmir but not in Jammu, and slammed BJP leaders from Jammu region for not raising the issue.
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The NC stalwart also opposed the settlement of non-locals in Jammu and claimed that the Dogra identity was under severe threat.
“It is very unfortunate that G20 meeting can be held in Ladakh and Kashmir but not in Jammu. Is Jammu not important? It is sad that not a single BJP leader, even those who chanted ‘Jammu, Jammu, Jammu and Dogra, Dogra, Dogra’ raised the issue. They have taken Jammu for granted believing that it is in their pocket,” Dr Farooq told media-persons on the sidelines of a party function at NC headquarters here today.
On being asked about the public notice issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Housing Board, seeking online applications from people, who have migrated to Jammu temporarily or permanently, for allotment of 336 flats under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) Mission here, the NC president said, “It shows what we have been saying all the time that demographic change is being brought about.”
“Jammu is going to lose its identity, the Dogra identity is going to disappear and that is what Maharaja Hari Singh, the last Dogra ruler fought against. It was not (NC founder) Sheikh Abdullah or our party that brought state subject law in 1927 for job and land protection. The then Maharaja Hari Singh wanted his culture and identity to remain intact,” Dr Farooq asserted.
If the outsiders are settled here, where will the locals go? They want to vanish Dogra identity and it is very surprising that not a single BJP leader speaks about it. The people from outside will settle here and take our land and jobs slowly,” the NC leader added.
He regretted that local youth are not getting even labour jobs. Even in Power Projects, several Highway Projects and Smart City Projects at Srinagar and Jammu, the workforce has been brought from outside. Many skilled and semi-skilled local youth are sitting idle or forced to move outside J&K to get petty jobs.
This Government has even given the control of the local resources to the people from outside. The locals now can’t dare to lift a bag of sand of gravel from any river or nallah for any construction or repair activity.
Responding to a question on terror attack on an army truck in Poonch district on April 20 that left five soldiers dead, Abdullah said contrary to the BJP’s claims, terrorism is still alive in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Has terrorism been ever finished? They were claiming that terrorism is finished with the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. There is no Article 370 now but terrorism is still here,” the former Chief Minister said.
He said the killing of the five soldiers is a “shame for us and we regret the loss”.
Supporting casual and need-based workers seeking regularisation, the NC leader said, “The world is celebrating Labour Day and the administration should think about the plight of these workers and how they are running the affairs of their families in the present times of high inflation”.
Replying to an another question Farooq said unity is power and can shake any Government. He lauded wrestlers protesting in Delhi over sexual harassment allegations against the Wrestling Federation of India president.
“The wrestlers are sitting in protest at Jantar Mantar because they were being sexually exploited. They are my and your daughters who came together with determination and made a resolve to fight for their honour after nobody listened to them,” Farooq said.
Citing the example of the protesting wrestlers, the National Conference leader asked his party workers to stand united without any fear. “Unity is power and can shake any government. We have to strengthen the country and not make it weak. We never supported Pakistan but fingers are being pointed at us. We chose India over Pakistan at the time of partition,” he said.
“NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and the party preferred India because of its secularism. We have to work together to strengthen secularism,” Abdullah said.
The NC leader claimed he had not earlier seen such a situation where people were afraid of speaking the truth or against the government. “I have not seen such a type of fear even during British or Dogra rule,” he added.
“I congratulate the Supreme Court for listening to them and directing registration of an FIR,” Dr Farooq said.
He asked the party workers to gear up for upcoming Panchayat, Locals Bodies, DDC/BDC elections in J&K and get united to give befitting reply to the parties engineering division in the society for the petty vote bank politics. The NC leader said a politician always keeps an eye on winning election by using any means and befooling public but a true leader always thinks about the welfare of his people. He assured people that NC would wage lasting struggle for the restoration of statehood with full rights and protection of land and jobs to the locals.
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