Srinagar: National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah Thursday said the party founder Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah’s struggles and sacrifices for the dignity of the people need to be emulated to take Jammu and Kashmir out of the “throes of divisive politics and sinister plans of political disempowerment”.
The NC president led the party rank and file in offering ‘Fateha’ (special prayers) and floral tributes at the mausoleum of his father on his 40th death anniversary.
Senior party leaders including NC vice-president Omar Abdullah were also present on the occasion.
Farooq Abdullah, while paying glowing tributes to ‘Sher-e-Kashmir’ as the NC founder was known as, said his struggles and sacrifices for the dignity of “this beleaguered region” and its people need to be emulated to take it out of the “throes of divisive politics and sinister plans of political disempowerment”.
“Sher-e-Kashmir’s life was a valiant story of selfless leadership. He fought for the political rights and dignity of his people till his last breath. He chose prison over power for his people and it is this sense of sacrifice and courage that needs to be instilled in our youth for the future of our region,” he said.
Sheikh Abdullah’s call for inclusiveness and secularism needs to be heard in every town and village – at a time when “divisive political forces’ are trying their best to divide the people of J&K on the basis of region and religion, the former Union minister said.
NC vice-president Omar Abdullah while paying tributes said the Sher-e-Kashmir’s legacy denotes J&K’s high traits of pluralistic ethos and inclusiveness.
“He nurtured and strengthened this characteristic and cemented the bonds of love between various sections of the society and different regions of J&K,” Omar said.
“His ultimate goal was the political and economic empowerment of the common man and the equitable development of his vision of ‘naya’ (new) Kashmir encompassed holistic and comprehensive development of all sections and all regions of the state without any favour or discrimination,” Omar Abdullah added.
Commemorative functions marking Sheikh Abdullah’s 40th death anniversary were also held at district party headquarters and Sher-e-Kashmir Bhawan, Jammu.
