Pulwama, May 01: Former chief minister and National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said that he could understand the anger and despair of the people of Pulwama.
“The people of Pulwama have got nothing over the past and four and half years. I can understand the helplessness and despair that is writ large on the faces of people here,” Omar said while addressing the party workers at Mujahaid Manzil in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Lashing out at the PDP, Omar said that the people of Pulwama did not know that those who they had voted for will exploit their votes to grind their own axe and to wield the power. “The people of Pulwama came out in large numbers to cast their votes in 2014 elections to secure better future for their children, for development. However, nothing of that sort happened; on the contrary, we see gloom writ large on the faces of the people of Pulwama.
“The party, who you voted for, berated and belittled your mandate to ascend the altar of power. The pluralistic and vivacious spirit of Pulwama was shattered by CASOs, crackdowns, blinding, arrests, and innumerable other torments.
“Now an opportunity is tapping your door, you have to utilize it to show your rage to PDP for letting loose the mammoth of destruction in Pulwama by hobnobbing with BJP. You have to utilize this opportunity and not let it go un-utilized without expressing your anger on PDP through the use of the ballot,” he said.
Omar while appreciating the people of Pulwama for upholding the spirit of inter-communal camaraderie and tolerance said, “People of Pulwama never allowed themselves to get swayed by communal strife. The sanctimonious disposition of the people of Pulwama was exhibited at various instances, be it re-construction of a temple or rescuing the Yatris,” he said.
NC vice-president while asking the people to support Justice (retd.) Hasnain Masoodi said, “In the ensuing elections, we have to make it a point to punish PDP for depriving the people of Pulwama of peace and prosperity. This time you have to make headway in sending the right person to Delhi who could make public the ordeal that the people of Pulwama are facing since 2014. Masoodi sahib has it all what it takes to be a good representative; he has no personal axe to grind. On the sixth of May, you should come out and vote for him. This shall be the first step towards bringing to a halt all the miseries unleashed on you by former BJP-PDP government.”
He said “what peace-loving people of Pulwama had to go through after 2014 is a direct consequence of PDP’s shameful embrace with BJP. Now it is the time to punish PDP for unleashing torments on the people. All the promises, they made during the election trail of 2014 turned out to be a damp squib. They had sought your votes on the pretext of keeping BJP out, but what followed is history. They shamelessly clubbed with the same BJP for the lust of power. The much-touted ‘Agenda of Alliance’ didn’t see the light of day.”
