Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said that the absence of the National Conference from power corridors strengthens the hands of those conspiring against the unique identity and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
This he said while addressing a one-day worker’s convention at Kunzar, Tangmarg in Gulmarg constituency. The convention was organized by In Charge constituency Gulmarg Farooq Shah.
Lamenting the suspension of the sentence to the culprits of the fake encounter in Amshipora, Shopian Omar said, “Every time we are reminded that our blood is cheap and has no value. The army officer who killed three youths in a fake encounter has not only been released but his sentence has also been suspended. This is nothing but a travesty of justice.”
Continuing his address, Omar Abdullah said that New Delhi does not care about the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “We are being treated with a different yardstick. The release of the army officer tried in court martial for killing three innocent youth of Rajouri gives credence to this fact. Our people who have been rotting in jails inside and outside J&K for years without any charges see no light at the end of the tunnel. They are only subjected to never-ending court hearings. While there is an army officer who was set free in no time. When it comes to our people the government becomes a law unto itself. They bulldoze our houses, dismiss our employees at the fall of a hat,” he said.
Criticizing the conspiratorial elements, he asked the people to make it a point to weed them out in the elections, whenever they are held.
He said that a lot has changed in J&K post-2019 by denuding the region’s autonomy, flag and democratic rights. However, he said the forces inimical to the region’s unique identity have not stopped hatching conspiracies against our people and their dignity. “The former MLA Gulmarg has always been at the forefront of such conspiracies and whenever New Delhi entrusted him with the responsibility of hatching any conspiracies, he executed them well. In 1984, when there was a conspiracy in New Delhi to topple the National Conference government, the former MLA of Tangmarg was at the forefront of it. Had 1984 not happened, Jammu and Kashmir would not have been in this condition today. The incident of 1984 also became the basis for the deterioration of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. When the National Conference passed the Autonomy Resolution in the Assembly in 1999 with a two-thirds majority, New Delhi got nervous and hatched another conspiracy to weaken the National Conference. A new party was formed and the same MLA was again part of this assignment. In 2019, when the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked and all the political leaders were in jail except this MLA, who was roaming free and working tirelessly on the new underhanded assignments of New Delhi. If at all people want their identity and dignity to be restored then such elements have to be weeded out. As long as such conspirators are there no redemption is in sight. These elements who follow the diktats from New Delhi don’t give a dam to people’s aspirations, they only care for their interests. They want security, mansions, and much more. Even the current Union Minister and the ex-army chief had also revealed that in 2010, the then MLA of Tangmarg was given bribes to weaken the Omar Abdullah government and worsen the situation. Those who hatched conspiracies and kept Kashmiris in darkness for 40 years will not go ahead. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the people of Tangmarg to reject this conspiratorial leader, so that he cannot be a part of any conspiracy in the future.”
Terming the central government’s claims of peace and order, construction and development, employment and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir as mere lies and deceit, Omar Abdullah said that in 2019, when the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked, it was said that the youth would get job orders. “It has been more than 4 years today and we are forced to ask where is the peace and order? Where is the progress? Where is the prosperity, in which youths got orders for government jobs, here even those who are already doing jobs are being fired? Today, our employees are being asked to prove how they got the job, otherwise, they will be fired,” he said.
