Excelsior Correspondent
Kangan, Apr 3: National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah today said that PDP had shamed and embarrassed Muslims in general and Kashmiri Muslims in particular by allying with RSS in the State.
Addressing an impressive public meeting in Kangan Assembly segment, Dr Abdullah said RSS represents decades of suppression of Muslims and other minorities in the country and that by aligning with RSS, Mehbooba Mufti had sold her 2014 mandate and her conscience for power.
“RSS represents decades of suppression of Muslims across the country and has openly advocated the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status since 1947. Today, both as a Kashmiri and a Muslim, I am disappointed and ashamed that PDP sold its 2014 mandate and its conscience to attain political power”, Dr. Abdullah said.
He said after selling PDP to the RSS, Mehbooba was now trying her best to sell Kashmiris – their rights, dignity and honour – to the RSS. “She doesn’t leave a single opportunity to heap praise on the RSS, the BJP and even those leaders of the Sangh Parivar who have openly advocated the destruction of minorities. This betrayal is historic and shameful and will have far-reaching consequences for the State if we don’t rise to the occasion and defeat this alliance of opportunism and evil”, he added.
“By aligning with the RSS, Mehbooba Mufti has put the honour of our people at stake. National Conference has never bowed down in front of these bigoted, communal and anti-Muslim forces and we will never join hands with them for power. We will bow our heads in faith only in front of our God and nobody else”, Farooq said.
He asked the people not to forget about the battle of justice waged by Hazrat Musa (AS) against Pharoah and his armies and said truth, justice and honesty will always tide over suppression, brute force and tyranny. “Mehbooba Ji’s ally, the BJP, didn’t field a single Muslim candidate in Uttar Pradesh which has nearly four crore Muslims. And Mehbooba Ji expects the same Narendra Modi to follow the footsteps of Atal Bihari Vajpayee? Both Mehbooba Mufti and Narendra Modi are trying to fool us as their words don’t match what is in their hearts”, Dr Abdullah said.
“The day is not far when God will teach a lesson to those who have sold their conscience to remain in power and for harassing and humiliating the people for their own self-seeking ambitions. Your opportunism and fascism cannot divide us. Muslims have always been peace-loving and will continue to respect all faiths and religions even while the ruling forces are encouraging attacks on mosques across the country. Wasn’t the demolition of Babri Masjid enough to satiate your sadistic and bigoted vision that now your supporters are barging into mosques to chant slogans? My message to these forces is loud and clear – you can attack our mosques but you can’t wipe our faith and our pride from our hearts”, the National Conference president said.
Senior Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad also addressed the gathering and implored upon the people to put up a united and spirited fights against the “communal, anti-Kashmir BJP and RSS”.
Meanwhile, National Conference working presidentOmar Abdullah today said the upcoming Parliamentary by-polls in the Valley amounted to a fight for J&K’s political survival and dignity in the face of a wave of “anti-minority and anti-Kashmir fascism” sweeping the country.
Addressing a public meeting at Magam, Beerwah, Omar said “J&K’s very identity, its flag and its special status was at stake since the very day PDP decided to align with the BJP and the RSS to attain political power in the State”.
“The upcoming elections are not usual elections where we vote for local issues alone and are divided at times based on our smaller ideological differences. This election is about a larger battle of J&K’s political survival where our dignity and honour are at stake. The PDP-BJP Alliance has translated into unimaginable suffering and humiliation for the people of the State and there is no end to a systemic repression being orchestrated as per the agenda of the RSS”, Omar said.
He highlighted various instances where the PDP-BJP Alliance had put the State’s political rights and special status in harm’s way and said various overt and covert attempts have been made to rob the State of its dignity in the past more than two years. “This is the same alliance which withdrew the circular to ensure the respect and dignity of our State flag and created panic and uncertainty in the State by failing to present a credible defence against various judicial attempts to abrogate Article 370 and extend various Central Laws to the State”, Omar said.
“This election is an election where we have to choose our collective dignity as a resilient people over our humiliation by those who sold the 2014 mandate for the lure and temptation of building their own political careers. How can one forget how the same PDP sought votes against the BJP and promised to stop the march of communalism from entering the Valley? When they got our votes on this plank they didn’t waste a single day to sell this mandate and reach out to the BJP to start talks over power-sharing. As a result of this today our youth stands betrayed, exploited and more alienated than ever before”, Omar said.
He said PDP is today in an alliance with a communally emboldened BJP which doesn’t hesitate to foist divisive and brazenly divisive people on important constitutional positions as an apparent reward for intimidating and harassing Muslims. “Doesn’t Mehbooba Ji see what is happening across the country today? How our mosques are being attacked and how minorities are living under threat and fear as their businesses are being shut and their places of worship targeted? Expecting reconciliation and engagement from those who believe in suppression and bullying is foolhardy and dangerous”, he added.
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