National Conference Provincial President Devender Singh Rana on Wednesday came down heavily on the government for promoting Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in the sensitive region of Chenab Valley by permitting lathi-wielding Swayamsevaks to march on the streets of Doda.“This is for the first time when such an activity has been allowed in the town by the administration, ignoring the sensitivities involved”, Rana said at a meeting of party functionaries while winding up his three-day visit of the Chenab Valley along with senior leaders.Rana and other leaders also addressed workers at Bhaderwah.The Provincial President regretted that the administration had become tool in the hands of the ruling BJP, which is furthering the agenda of RSS openly and brazenly. The permission for the march by Khaki-shorts donned and lathi wielding Swayamsevaks sans the administrative wisdom, as such a provocation can have serious ramifications across the region. He hoped that the government will understand its folly and take appropriate corrective initiatives so that peace and tranquility is maintained in the ensuing festive season.
Mr Rana reminded the BJP of its onerous responsibilities for maintaining peace, being partners in the government and advised its ministers in particular that they should come out of the opposition syndrome and act as per tenets of the Constitution. “While the BJP has a proven record of being perfect agitationists, they are yet to make a mark as responsible administrators”, he said, adding that with the willing support of the PDP, the duo were out to vitiate the atmosphere to divert attention of people from the mess created in the state.He appealed to the people of Chenab Valley in general and National Conference cadre in particular to see through the PDP-BJP game-plan and foil all attempts of dividing the society by maintaining time-tested unity. He recalled that his party has all along been pleading to the political class to rise above party politics when it comes to maintaining tranquility and sustaining peace.“In fact, the entire political discourse of National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah and Working President Omar Abdullah has been to strengthen, consolidate and sustain the regional amity and religious harmony in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh”, Mr Rana asserted.
Reiterating the resolve of National Conference in being torch-bearer of communal harmony, former minister and MLC Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo exuded confidence that the sagacious people of the state, especially the Chenab Valley will not fall in the trap of peace inimical elements, who were desperately trying to vitiate the atmosphere.“As in the past, we will meet the challenges with active support of people, irrespective of caste, creed or colour, to keep the torch of secularism aflame even in the hostile winds”, he said while lauding the role of people in frustrating and foiling the machinations of the BJP.
He advised the ruling alliance to desist from testing the patience and resolve of the peace loving people of the Chenab Valley.Kichloo regretted over the irresponsible attitude of the coalition government, saying that instead of consolidating peace, it was promoting the divide between people.Speaking on the occasion, State Vice President Rattan Lal Gupta urged the people to further strengthen the existing fraternity and friendly bonding with a view to ensuring peace and tranquility.
State Vice President Th Kashmira Singh, while addressing the meeting said a sinister effort is being made to vitiate communal atmosphere to divert the attention from sufferings caused to the people in the Valley and other parts of the state and therefore it is incumbent upon all to ensuring regional unity and religious tranquility.Addressing the meeting, Qazi Jalal-ud-Din cautioned against weakening the time-tested unity of the people and urged the people to give a befitting reply to peace-breakers by further strengthening their bonding.Provincial Vice Presidents Ch Haroon and Anil Dhar besides District NC President Ramban Sajjad Shaheen and former MLA Dr Chaman Lal besides Imtiyaz Ahmed Zargar, Abdid Magrey, Rakesh Gupta and Raj Kumar Sen also addressed the workers meetings. They reiterated the resolve of National Conference in strengthening peaceful co-existence of the people, saying inclusiveness had been a glorious legacy bequeathed by Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah.The National Conference leaders exhorted the cadre to reach out the people and ensure their problems are highlighted and got solved at appropriate forums.On the occasion, Rana, Kichloo and other leaders profusely greeted Imtiaz Ahmed Zargar and Rajinder Singh Sen for being appointed as Joint Secretaries of Provincial National Conference, Jammu. (KNS)