Srinagar, Nov 14: National Conference (NC) senior leader and Zadibal MLA Tanveer Sadiq on Saturday said Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s granddaughter was free to join electoral politics and work for the people, but cautioned against using her late grandfather’s legacy to “mislead people”.
Reacting to reports that Geelani’s granddaughter was likely to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sadiq, who is NC’s chief spokesperson, said her decision to enter politics was an individual choice and should not automatically be viewed through the political legacy of her grandfather.
“If she wants to enter politics and help people, there is nothing wrong with it. But if she wants to use her late grandfather’s name to enter politics and mislead people, I think that would be wrong,” Sadiq told the media at party headquarters here.
Sadiq said Geelani had presented a different political vision for Jammu and Kashmir and questioned whether his granddaughter also believed that vision ….
He also said he was unaware of the political circumstances behind her reported move.
Asked whether the NC would welcome the children or grandchildren of separatist leaders if they wanted to join the party, Sadiq said the NC had followed its political agenda for decades and had never deviated from it.
He said the party, which traces its origins to 1936, had maintained its political position even when its workers, MLAs, and ministers were killed.
“If they understand our agenda and want to work within it, that is a different matter. We can then think about it,” he said.
On allegations that the NC’s three Rajya Sabha members had not spent any money from their development funds, Sadiq rejected the charge, saying delays in issuing mandatory E-Nigrani codes had prevented some members from accessing the funds.
He said the codes of some Rajya Sabha members, including Shammi Oberoi, had been issued recently, while those of Chaudhary and Sajjad Kichloo had also arrived late, following which the funds were released.
Responding to a controversy within the NC after party leader Javaid Iqbal Chaudary allegedly called the Deputy Chief Minister a ‘thug’, Sadiq declined to comment on the specific remark, saying he had neither seen it nor wanted to react to it.
He said there had been genuine concerns among party MLAs, which had been raised with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the party president.
Dismissing speculation about internal differences and a possible split in the party following the recent cabinet reshuffle, the NC leader said the organization remained strong and united.
Sadiq said differences of opinion were natural in a democratic party but maintained that all NC MPs and MLAs stood firmly with the leadership.
Reacting to reports of resentment within the party over the cabinet reshuffle, he said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had only eight ministerial positions available under the existing Union Territory structure, making it impossible to accommodate every aspiring legislator.
“Every MLA wants to become a minister, but under the UT structure, it is not possible to have more than eight ministers. Every NC soldier, whether an MP or MLA, is with the party,” he said.
Taking a dig at the BJP and the Leader of Opposition over predictions of a split in the NC following the cabinet reshuffle, Sadiq said the party remained intact.
He said the restoration of statehood would have allowed Jammu and Kashmir to have 25-26 ministers, instead of the present limited strength, and questioned the BJP over its unfulfilled promise of restoring statehood. Sadiq said the BJP should first be questioned about its promise of restoring statehood before the same questions were raised with the NC.
Meanwhile, reacting to allegations that a person associated with the Kashmir Seva Sangh was targeting street vendors, Sadiq said he was unaware of the individual but would take up the matter with Srinagar SSP.
“Nobody will be allowed to indulge in hooliganism or harass vendors. I will speak to the SSP Srinagar about the matter. Nobody can take the law into their own hands,” he said.
On the proposed Western Foreshore Road, Sadiq described the project as a vital link for Srinagar and said it was in the larger public interest.
He said Omar Abdullah had personally reviewed the issue and a meeting had also been held recently to discuss the project.
Accusing PDP president Mehbooba Mufti of politicizing the issue, Sadiq asserted that the road link would be constructed. “As long as I remain MLA from the Zadibal constituency, the Western Foreshore Road link will definitely be built,” he said.