Indo-Pak skirmishes adding to people’s sufferings: Farooq

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 25: Skirmishes between Indian and Pakistani forces were only adding to people’s sufferings and Governments of both the countries should find a way to restore peace at the borders, National Conference chief and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah said today. Click here to watch video
“Unless they (India and Pakistan) find a way out, away from this (border skirmishes), people on both sides will continue to suffer and many will die. Many of our soldiers will also die and a similar situation will be on their side,” he said.
The Government of India must find a way forward, the NC chief said.
“What that way forward is, is up to the Prime Minister to decide. I am too small to suggest anything to him. But I will say the same thing to the Pakistani side, to the Premier of that side. The time has come when this bloodshed must stop, and peace must be restored on the border and in the State here as well as in the area they hold on their side,” the former Chief Minister told reporters at the sidelines of a function here.
In response to a question about heavy Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector of North Kashmir, he said the shelling was not one sided but going on from both sides.
“They are shelling us and we are shelling them back. They shell us one per cent, we shell them 10 per cent as Army chief has said,” he said.
On Pakistani troops targeting civilians, Dr Abdullah said a bomb does not know where it is going to fall. The shelling is resorted to frighten the people, he said.
The NC leader’s comment comes against the backdrop of a series of ceasefire violations by the Pakistani forces along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.
Asked about amnesty granted by the State Government to stone-pelters, the Member of Parliament said those released should realise that the time has come when they have to think of their careers and how to take the State out of turmoil.
“We are a tourist State and no tourist will come if there is turmoil. People will suffer, they will continue to suffer and in the long run it will be the State that will become backward,” Farooq said.
On reports of pelting of stones on a military station at Sunjuwan on Saturday, Dr Abdullah said he had no knowledge about it.  However, he said, if it had happened, the Government should investigate and see whether the stone-pelters released by it were involved in the case or someone else.
Expressing concern over attempts to pitch one community against another, he said “Prime Minister Narendra Modi should try and build an India of our dreams which is for all of us, whether you are a Muslim, Hindu, Sikh or Christian.”
He said the Prime Minister is not only for Gujarat, but for the whole country.
Dr Abdullah also sought to defend former Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar over his purported casteist slur against Modi.
Asked about Aiyar’s presence at Congress headquarters, he said “one thing you must know, Aiyar is a Tamil and Urdu is not his language. He has picked up some Urdu during his posting in Pakistan. And when he used that term, he did not mean what was made out of it by the BJP,” Farooq said.
Meanwhile, Dr Farooq Abdullah  expressed concern over “divisive forces” getting centre-stage in polity, saying dividing people on religious basis is dangerous for unity.
“We must guard against all such machinations that divide the people on religion or caste”, Farooq said while addressing youth at a function organized by “Jansewa Ka Ek Avloken”, as part of its anniversary celebrations.
He called for collective effort in promoting harmony and lamented over attempts of creating wedge between various segments of society as part of vote politics and said this will prove detrimental to the overall interests of the country.
The National Conference chief cautioned those poisoning young minds by creating fears about religion being in danger and said no religion had any threat and if there is actually any problem to anyone, it is the divisive politicians, who run their political enterprise by exploiting religion. He asked the youth to fight for their rights and assert their position as proud citizens of India, which belonged to all, irrespective of region, religion or caste.
Stressing the need for collective efforts in ensuring social justice and empowerment of weaker segments of society, Dr Abdullah said Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah worked tirelessly for their upliftment. He said Sheikh Sahib paid a heavy price in 1953 for making the exploited, poor and marginalized sections of people masters of the land holdings they put in their hard toil by enactment of revolutionary Land Reforms Act. “This annoyed big land holders and exploiters who schemed against Sheikh Sahib in New Delhi, which among other things, resulted in his arrest”, he said.
Provincial president Devender Singh Rana was also present on the occasion.
Responding to their demand of declaration of holiday on Guru Nabha Dass Jayanti, Dr Abdullah supported it, saying Rana has already taken up the issue with concerned on behalf of National Conference.
Devender Singh Rana and T S Wazir also addressed the gathering and stressed the crucial need of ensuring social justice and empowerment of the weaker sections of society.
Earlier, a colorful variety progrmme was held under the aegis of  “Jansewa Ka Ek Avloken”, which enthralled the audience. Highlight of the programme was flute recital by a well known young artist Mayank Raina.
Chairman of the organization, Harish Chander presented a memorandum to Dr Farooq Abdullah and also highlighted the difficulties being faced by the members of the community.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here