Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, May 4: While describing good Indo-Pak relations as key to the peace in the region, former Chief Minister and National Conference president, Dr Farooq Abdullah today said that war can only bring death and destruction and no welfare of the people on both sides.
While speaking in a function at Heritage School here today, Dr Abdullah said what both India and Pakistan achieved during past 70 years is known to every one. “Nothing could be achieved by wars by both the nations. The wars can only bring death and destruction and miseries to the people,” he maintained.
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“If nation survives, political parties will survive and the religious places of all the communities would exist. And if a nation perishes nothing is left,” Dr Abdullah said adding that nothing is above nation and it is the primary duty of each citizen to strengthen the nation and work collectively for the restoration of peace in this sub region.
Launching a scathing attack on ‘some political parties’ for exploiting religious sentiments of the people, the former Chief Minister said when elections come, they start exploiting people and giving religious slogans. “Some secure votes on the name of God. God needs no votes. But even then they go so low that they use the Almighty for fulfilling their designs. The people must understand their designs,” Dr Abdullah maintained.
Recalling the remarks of former Prime Minister and top BJP leader, Atal Behari Vajpayee that `you can change friends but not neighbours’, Dr Farooq said these words of true statesman and towering leader carry great message for both the countries.
“Both the Governments and top leadership of these countries must take note of it and realize the importance of peace on borders and in this sub region for the welfare of people, peace and prosperity”, he said, adding that J&K State has always faced the brunt of deteriorating relations between both the neighbouring countries. “The blood shed should be brought to an end”.
Giving a word of advice to the students, Dr Abdullah said when you stop thinking as Muslim, Hindu, Sikh or Christian and consider yourself as only human being, then the world would be different and a place to live. There will be no hatred at all and all the communities would co-exist with love and faith on each other. The country would lead towards development and progress. This should be the cherished desire of all of us,
He assailed the present politicians for engineering communal divide and said they are the people who have sown the seed of hatred among the communities. It has become the habit of some ‘political parties’ to engineer communal divide and secure votes. Such people in no way are doing any welfare of their own country and the people. They are only creating wedge and disintegrating the nation for their vested interests. It is moral duty of each and every citizen to promote peace, brotherhood and communal amity in the country so that it could become a right place to live in. It would ultimately lead to peace and development”, Dr Abdullah added.
Referring to the role of United Nations, the National Conference president said this world organization is not working, the way it should.
While describing that he has no faith on this body, Dr Farooq said that you may take the example of Syria, Lebnan, Afghanisatan and some other nations which suffered badly due to inactive role of UN. He said what ever America desires, the United Nations acts accordingly.
Dr Farooq said he had an occasion to visit Afghanistan and was pained to see the condition of that country. Bridges, big buildings have been destroyed and there is acute poverty and scarcity of consumable things. There is need to take a lead role by UN in such affairs but the powerful countries go by their interests and they have weakened the role of this world body, the NC leader added.
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