Farooq Abdullah calls for early elections in J&K
Says ‘fearing defeat, BJP may try to get polls delayed’
Jammu, Dec 06- National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Thursday sought early elections to Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, saying that the BJP may attempt to get these delayed for the fear of imminent defeat due to its “misgovernance” and failure in keeping up promises.
“Hold elections and the people of Jammu and Kashmir, not New Delhi, will choose the government they want for themselves,” Dr Abdullah said while paying tributes to Dr B R Ambedkar at a function held at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here this afternoon.
Abdullah said a stable and strong government alone could lead the state to peace and development.
Referring to his party’s landslide victory in 1996, he claimed the government led by him brought about a “discernible transformation” in the state by rebuilding militancy-damaged infrastructure, opening of schools, strengthening of health institutions, functioning of the various utility services etc. In 2000, he claimed his government provided a “record” 1.50 lakh jobs to educated unemployed. “This all happened because of the strong and stable government,” he added.
He also complimented Governor Satya Pal Malik for dissolving the Legislative Assembly and ending the era of confusion and suspense with “BJP desperately trying to manage support for installing a particular person as chief minister.”
“Even the visit of BJP general secretary Ram Madhav to Srinagar failed to garner support for that person, who had made all the preparations for swearing in ceremony,” Abdullah said in a veiled reference to Sajad Gani Lone of Peoples Conference without naming him actually.
“By dissolving the assembly, the state had a sigh of relief on the prospect of getting rid of a corrupt lot, who indulged in acts of commission and omission for three-and-half years”, he said in a direct attack on PDP-BJP coalition government.
Senior Abdullah, who is also the Member Parliament from Srinagar, also said that India was going through a worst period of history as attempts were being made to divide people on communal lines and “nobody knows how many pieces this country will be divided into under BJP rule.”
“We have to stop this as soon as possible or else you will see destruction everywhere…. You will see blood everywhere because this regime is leaving no stone unturned to create an atmosphere of hatred across the country,” Abdullah said.
He said that BJP leaders were no different from Britishers, who also ruled India for 200 years by dividing people on communal lines.
“Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, who unfurled the tricolor from the ramparts of Lal Qila (Red Fort) for the first time would never have thought that a dispensation would come and break his country into so many pieces,” he said. “Nobody knows how many pieces BJP government will further divide India into!”
While referring to Bulandshahar incident, the NC leader said it was very unfortunate that the CM of a state was busy watching Kabaddi match when an SHO was being killed by the mob protesting against alleged cow slaughter in Uttar Pradesh.
“Actually, the BJP leaders are ‘Daaku number 1’. Only they’re responsible for every single killing in the name of religion,” Abdullah said as he went on to hit out at the RSS leaders for preaching hatred from the government institutions.
“The ruling dispensation in Delhi has given most of the top positions, even in education system to RSS people and they’re the most useless people in the country,” he said.
He also targeted BJP leaders for seeking votes “in the name of Ram.”
“They (BJP) have a wrong conception that Ram only belongs to them…Ram belongs to the world… Allah and Ram should not be used for garnering votes because neither Allah nor Ram is contesting elections… We’re contesting elections and we should convince the voters with our policies and programmes not Allah and Ram.”
“It is incumbent upon the opposition to unite for the unity of India,” he said adding that the nation faced no threat from China or Pakistan but from the forces inimical to secularism and inclusive ethos of India.
