Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Aug 19: Making a scathing attack on Opposition National Conference (NC) for misleading people on the abrogation of Article 35 A of Indian Constitution, Union Minister of State in PMO with Independent charge of North Eastern States, Dr Jitendra Singh today accused the Party of facilitating the settlement of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis in Jammu region while opposing settlement of Indians in the State.
Talking to reporters here this morning before leaving for Panchari in Udhampur district soon after his arrival from Union Capital, Dr Jitendra Singh while commenting on senior NC leader and former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah’s demand of calling special session of State Legislature to discuss the Article 35 A, said that NC should first discuss the issue of foreign settlers in Jammu.
Lambasting the NC leadership, he wanted to know why it is shying away from discussing the foreign settlers issue in J&K. “Is it because they were settled in the State clandestinely during the NC-Congress rule”, he asked.
He asked why blind eye was turned by NC during its rule or last 10 years when these people were settled in the State and this smacks of the malafide intensions of the Party and its leadership. “They deliberately kept mum over the issue for foreign settlers for the vote bank politics. The party which is opposing the settlement of Indians in the State now has been exposed before the people for its double standards and they should be exposed before the masses”.
Dr Jitendra Singh while ridiculing the NC’s stand said that all the provisions of the Indian Constitution were implemented in the State during the rule of NC stalwart and former Chief Minister Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah who took the reigns of the J&K Government after being out of power for 22 long years. Soon after coming to power in 1975, he framed a Committee under the chairmanship of DD Thakur the former Deputy Chief Minster to examine the Central laws application in the State. The Committee, in its report had said that the Central laws are providing same benefits to the State of J&K as to the other States of the country, he added.
The Union Minister said that Sheikh Abdullah not only accepted the report in State Cabinet but also endorsed the application of Central laws in the State.
Responding to the statement of former Chief Minister and NC president, Dr Farooq Abdullah that India is capable of taking on foreign threat than the threat within, Dr Jitendra Singh said that when in power Dr Abdullah had several times strongly advocated that India should attack terrorist camps in Pakistan. “Now you can judge whether that statement was right or this is right”, he added.
On Pakistan’s meddling in Kashmir issue especially over Article 35A abrogation, Dr Jitendra Singh said Pakistan has no locus standi on it. He said there is no relevance what Pakistan is doing as according to Simla Agreement all bilateral issues between the two countries should be settled without third party intervention.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that only dispute between India and Pakistan is over the PoK which is under forcible occupation of Pakistan and India is committed by 1994 joint Parliament resolution of retrieving that part of Kashmir.
He said there is a vociferous demand in PoK also that it should be liberated from clutches of Pakistan and should become the part of J&K which is integral part of India.
On the statement of Hurriyat moderate group chief Mirwiaz Umar Farooq that if one militant was killed, 10 militants will emerge, Dr Jitendra Singh said that the separatist leader is giving the statement in sheer desperation as security forces are in a position to deal with any situation and any eventuality.
On the arrest of Watali by NIA and frequent raids being made by them on recipients of Hawala funds, the Union Minister said NIA is on the job and it will take its investigation to logical conclusion.
On so-called freedom movement in Kashmir, he said what module of freedom movement of the world the separatists in Kashmir are adopting. “Is it the Mahatma Gandhi Module or Nelson Mandela Module”? he asked?
He said “I have been repeatedly saying that it is a mercenary terrorism in Kashmir and no freedom struggle. The separatists and terrorists can’t befool people for long as it is the era of real time reporting now, he added.
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