Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that the party’s struggle to protect the interests, unique character and dignity of the people of J&K will continue unabatedly.
This he said while addressing back-to-back election rallies in Sumbal Sonawari and Inderkote Bandipore organised by Incharge Constituencies Sonawari and Bandipora Hilal Akbar Lone and Adv Nazir Malik respectively.
Earlier, Omar led an impressive road show in Sumbal, in which thousands of people participated and expressed their love and affection towards him. Omar Abdullah received a warm welcome at every place. Roadshows were also organized in Nowgam, Indrakot and Harinara where a large number of people participated.
Party Treasurer Shammi Oberoi, Chief Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq, Senior party leaders Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Sharifuddin Shariq, Aga Syed Mehmood, Mir Ghulam Rasool Naaz, Shabbir Ahmed Kullay, Adv Muzaffar Khan, DDC members, party functionaries attended rallies and road shows.
Exhorting people to divest anti-Kashmir forces of their false robes, Omar said, “We have started a peaceful and democratic struggle for the restoration of our democratic rights in the same manner as was started by my grandfather Sheikh Sahib. We were sold as cattle. One king used to sell us and another king bought us, the people here had no right to land, no right to employment, no right to air and no right to water, then a person named Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was born on this land, who was a teacher by profession and broke the chains of slavery. He started a movement against injustice and brought true freedom to this oppressed and subjugated nation, but today we are being pushed towards the same economic and political slavery and today it is the duty of every conscious and sensitive citizen to protect this historical state. Everyone has the duty to play their role to save J&K.”
Continuing his address, Omar Abdullah said, “J&K National Conference has never changed its position, we are still doing what we said 35 years ago. We said 35 years ago that guns are not the solution to any problem and we repeat the same thing today. When the late Mr Abdul Ghani Lone came to meet National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah and told him that I am going to bring guns across the border, at that time Dr. Farooq Abdullah forbade him. Dr Sahab told him guns would bring only destruction, our young generation would suffer, graveyards would be filled and blood would flow in rivers but they didn’t listen to him. Dr. Farooq Abdullah appealed to the youth here in his speech in Hazratbal that if they don’t like Farooq Abdullah, then they will leave, but please don’t pick up the gun, your future will be destroyed, nothing will change, but at that time, such an atmosphere was created and such conditions were created that people were swept away in it, but till today nothing has changed, on the contrary, we were destroyed and ruined. Thanks be to Allah, yesterday Jamaat-e-Islami announced that if the ban on the Jamaat is lifted, they will participate in the elections, I welcome it and hope that the ban on them is lifted immediately. The sooner they enter the field, the sooner they field their candidates, the better. We have been saying since the first day that nothing will change with guns and stone pelting, nothing will change with bad conditions, if something changes then we have to use our vote to change our future.”
Addressing the public, the NC Vice President said, “If you think a little, you will find that all the agencies, BJP, New Delhi, Nagpur, A team, B team, C team and D team are all focused on this and there is a joint effort by all to see how to weaken National Conference, how to manipulate, how to divide the votes in some way. You have to answer these powers, all the conspiracies. All these elements will be in the open field on May 20 where you can easily subdue them with your valuable votes. We are fighting for this entire nation. We do not talk about freeing only one prisoner, we will talk about the release and repatriation of all the thousands of prisoners who have been imprisoned in outside jails for years. Inshallah, when the National Conference government comes in September, arrangements will be made for the release of these imprisoned youths at the earliest.”
