National Conference Working President Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said Delhi had dishonored the terms and conditions of the State’s accession to the Union of India and termed the erosion of the State’s Autonomy as a breach of faith that has manifested itself as political turmoil and instability in the State. Speaking at the commemorative function held at NC Headquarters in Srinagar on the occasion of Veteran NC Leader Sheikh Nazir Ahmed’s First Death Anniversary, Mr. Omar Abdullah said New Delhi will have to honour all the terms and conditions of the accession and reverse the erosions in the State’s Autonomy to restore a sense of faith and trust among the people of the State.
“While Delhi expected the people of J&K to honour the State’s accession to India, it left no stone unturned to violate the terms and conditions of the same accession. Systematic erosions were engineering by Delhi to rob the State of its Autonomy and this has created a sense of deep mistrust. While one side is expected to honour the agreement, the other side cannot dishonor the agreement. National Conference has never abandoned its political struggle for the restoration of Autonomy and we will continue to strive for this just demand. Unlike others, National Conference doesn’t believe in rank political expediency at the cost of our ideology and principles. Our flag is our pride. It represents all three regions of the State and we will protect our flag with our blood”, the NC Working President said in Srinagar.
The NC Working President highlighted Late Sheikh Nazir Ahmed’s legacy and steadfastness in upholding his principles till his last breath and said the vacuum created by Nazir Sahab’s demise could never be filled. “Nazir Sahab worked for the party without ever aspiring to attain a position of power. He served the party with his heart and soul while refusing to compromise on his own principled stand and never contested an election. Nazir Sahab’s deeds matched his word. His refusal to hold an Indian Passport was a matter of his own personal conviction that makes him stand head and shoulders above those leaders who profess secession but bend the rules for their own selves for matters of convenience. While on might have disagreed with Nazir Sahab, one cannot deny his integrity, honesty and conviction”, Mr. Omar Abdullah added.
“Nazir Sahab’s personal rapport with our grassroots workers was his biggest quality and the affairs of the party formed the focal point of his life. He was an example of simplicity and selflessness. There hasn’t been a single occasion in his life where Nazir Sahab tried to further a personal ambition. His only concern was the wellbeing of the party and that the honour and dignity of our people is upheld at all costs. Today, on his First Death Anniversary we pay glowing tributes to Sheikh Nazir Ahmed and vow to take his mission forward and protect our identity, our flag and our ethos”, the NC Working President stated.Lashing out at PDP, the NC Working President said Mehbooba Mufti’s statement that she was neither capable nor prepared to take on the responsibility of leading the State was factually correct. “Mehbooba Mufti is right. She is neither capable nor prepared to do justice with this responsibility. That said, what is this prolonged delay about then?
While PDP and BJP continue to profess their unquestionable allegiance to each other and have adequate numbers, their refusal to form the Government is strange. PDP leaders have publicly declared that the “Agenda of the Alliance’ is a ‘sacred document’ for them. Sadly, it’s evident that they are completely ignorant about the meaning and connotations of the word ‘sacred’. On one hand they led the people of the State to believe that PDP had sought CBMs from the Central Government as a prerequisite to Government formation and now senior PDP Leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig has come out to admit that the party has not sought any Confidence Building Measures from the Central Government. Now PDP has publicly admitted that their relationship with BJP continues on the existing arrangement and no fresh demands have been put forth. This is the nature of deception that is being peddled”, Omar Abdullah added while addressing party workers in Srinagar.
“People are happier under Governor’s rule than they were under the PDP-BJP Government in the State. Apart from those PDP workers who have personal, illegitimate interests to further and protect, not a single common man wants to return to the hopelessness and indignity that the PDP-BJP Government brought along since the first day of its tenure. While PDP promised political packages and economic revolutions in the State, it failed to deliver on a single promise. If Mehbooba Mufti succeeds in achieving a political package for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, I will be glad to congratulate her. In absence of such a political initiative, any other measure is not only inadequate but also ineffective. We have seen what became of the promised 80,000 crores ‘package’ and how brazenly and shamelessly PDP abandoned the cause of the flood victims”, the NC Working President added.Asking the party cadre to strengthen the party at the grassroots level, the NC Working President expressed satisfaction at the success of the membership drive and reiterated his commitment to stand by the principles and ideals for which the party’s founding father, Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah had rendered innumerable sacrifices. (KNS)