Srinagar, Mar 18: “What makes National Conference think that ruling Kashmir is their exclusive right, and barring it emergence of every other political party is Delhi’s conspiracy against them?”
Not exactly in these words but this is what Peoples Conference general secretary Imran Reza Ansari pointed out Monday when he locked horns with NC vice-president Omar Abdullah for questioning the intentions behind new and emerging parties.
“It makes us wonder if he thinks Kashmir is his fiefdom, his monarchal right and that nobody else shall come and join the fray,” Ansari said.
Amazed at his “selective sense of morality”, Ansari said that “Omar Abdullah wants a democracy in which NC is the sole party and it is not surprising.
“If you look at the record of their MLAs, they thrive and prosper on people boycotting the polls. They are perhaps the biggest beneficiaries of the conflict and boycott. By ensuring minimal participation in polls, they have shamelessly clung on to seats where barely 5-6 percent people vote,” Ansari pointed out.
Ansari further added that Omar Abdullah should introspect as to how the rigging of 1987 elections pushed the people of Kashmir away from the mainstream.
“The polling rate in Srinagar in 1987 elections was touching 80 percent and after the 1987 rigging till date it is in single digit figures. This is precisely what the NC wants – a low voter turnout.”
Ansari said that NC has a history of accusing its opponents of Delhi’s support and Peoples Conference will challenge their sense of entitlement with all vigor.
“Omar Abdullah wants a single party system democracy in J&K. Whenever a new party comes up he accuses them of being made in Delhi. The amazing irony is that nobody is as organically made in Delhi as he is.
“Their comeback to the electoral politics was a unique first of its kind in the democratic world where a person who was not even an MLA was made chief minister under some accord and whatever was left of our special status was bargained for their lust for power,” Ansari alleged.
He said that Omar Abdullah is acting like a “tantrum throwing pampered cry baby” who is angry at other people playing with his toys.
“He thinks it is only his birthright to rule J&K and others outside the family should not be allowed in the mainstream. What utter nonsense, what democracy is this? They want a democracy which is customized for them, wherein they are not challenged even if they rig, loot & plunder.
“This happened in 2002 as well when they accused the PDP of being GoI’s creation. The National Conference rigged elections in 1987 after which no polls were held until 1996. Between 1996 & 2002 they went on a killing spree and yet they want that nobody should ever join the mainstream, no new party should come.”
Ansari added that NC has failed to groom leaders from within even after being in the system for seven decades.
“This party which prides itself of being an old party and has enjoyed power for decades does not even have a system where a new person would ever come in. Now they are relying on corrupt bureaucrats and poaching from other parties to move on.”
Lambasting the NC leadership for their “ridiculous allegations” against an ex-bureaucrat (Shah Faesal) launching a new party, Ansari said that “had he joined the NC which he was supposed to, then he would have been a great man. But if he has the audacity to float his own party, then it is Delhi’s game plan.
“The corrupt bureaucrats who joined NC and will use their ill-gotten money to fund the party’s campaign are a gift to democracy. But anybody who dares to float his own party is a Delhi’s man,” he mocked.
“If there is anybody as pure as Delhi serving their interests in Kashmir, it is Omar Abdullah. He has always represented Delhi in Kashmir and never represented Kashmir in Delhi,” Ansari added.
Criticising NC for indulging in labelling and name-calling of their opponents, Ansari said that such discourse has cost us many lives in the past and must be taken a serious note of by the ECI.
“Do they not know that accusing people of Delhi connections in a place like Kashmir can have serious repercussions on their security? While the Abdullah dynasty enjoys a security cover of about 500 SSG guards protecting their family, the people they accuse are left vulnerable and fearing for their lives. They have murdered for power in the past and now they are willing to do it on an individual basis as well,” he added.
