Asserting that National Conference stands guarantee to preserving and maintaining time tested secular ethos and regional unity of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, Provincial President Devender Singh Rana on Monday made a clarion call to all those believing in unique characteristics of the state to get united under its banner to fight divisive forces.“Times have proven that flaring up regional and religious passions cannot take a homogenous state like Jammu and Kashmir anywhere”, Rana said while welcoming Avtar Singh Khalsa, General Secretary J&K Sikh United Front and Member District Gurdwara Pranbhandak Committee in the party fold, on the recommendations of Dr Kamal Arora MLA and District President Jammu Rural-B.
Senior National Conference leaders, Provincial Secretary Sheikh Bashir and Master Noor Hussain, MLC greeted and welcomed Singh on joining National Conference.
Rana said that polarization in politics may earn certain short term gains to politicians with myopic interests but in the long run such tendencies do not only boomerang but also prove detrimental to the larger interests of the people and the State.”This has been proven by the opportunistic alliance of PDP-BJP which at end of the day has plunged Jammu and Kashmir into unprecedented political uncertainty”, he said adding that if the two parties, which joined hands on the premise of North Pole South Pole could not pull together for just one year, how could they steer the sensitive state like Jammu and Kashmir to peace and progress.
The Provincial President described Khalsa’s joining as yearning among cross section of people to join National Conference, a living symbol of secular credentials.
He urged the party workers to fan out in their respective areas, identify problems of the people and seek their redressal at appropriate forums, especially in the wake of mandated political parties like PDP-BJP shunning their moral and constitutional responsibilities and leaving the people in lurch.Congratulating Khalsa, MLA Dr Arora hoped that his joining will further strengthen the party in the district.Autar Singh Khalsa pledged to carry forward the mission of Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah forward as a foot soldier of the party, saying National Conference is the only political party which has always espoused the cause of people irrespective of caste, creed and religion.Present on the occasion were Ajaz Jan, Provincial Youth National Conference President, Rahim Dad (ex MLC), Rinku Arora (Vice President Youth National Conference). (KNS)