Peoples’ Conference (PC) Chairman Sajad Gani Lone said that winds of change were sweeping across the Valley and his party would emerge as a strong and morally acceptable political alternative to the existing political culture “which is based on nepotism, corruption and the political pidends of oppression.”“Kashmiris have been derived of the right to dream of a better future by our traditional political parties as the dreams of the common-man – those of dignity, prosperity and progress – were detrimental to the manipulative political system these parties represent. It’s time for a Kashmiri to dream beyond the political and economic limits designed and enforced by NC and PDP,” Lone said while addressing a workers rally here.
Speaking on the occasion where a big contingent of PDP workers from Lolab constituency joined PC including PDP’s ex-Zonal President from Lolab Ghulam Mohiuddin Lone, the PC chairman alleged that both NC and PDP were two sides of the same coin and believe in the same political culture of corruption, misrule and selective governance. While NC is a political entity that believes in oppressing Kashmiris for its self-seeking political interests, PDP is no different.
“PDP is a political party that has been formed by taking in discards and turncoats from all possible political parties of the State. It is composed of people from the same system that it pretends to oppose with its rhetoric and melodrama. PDP’s MLAs have equally persecuted their constituents and are virtually missing from their areas, leaving people unrepresented and abandoned. Lolab is a classic case of a PDP MLA’s failure to address the basic grievances of his constituents. When push comes to shove there is absolutely no difference between the two parties,” he said.
Lone said that PC doesn’t believe in mere criticism but will offer practical and effective solutions to take Kashmir out of the economic and governance mess that it is in today. “The people of this State have never witnessed a system of governance that works for the common-man. Political power in the present system is used to give benefits to a handful of cronies while basic governance is missing on the ground,” he said.
“PC believes that it is a matter of self-respect and dignity for the people to elect leaders who work like Statesmen as opposed to petty politicians who derive sadistic pleasure from deriving the common-man of jobs, civic amenities and opportunities for success and growth,” he added.Lone claimed that PC will eradicate and retire NC from Kupwara District in 2014 and will give the nay-sayers a lot of surprises throughout the Valley by emerging as a strong, pro-Kashmir political force of Change. “Anti-Kashmir political entities in J&K benefited by default because of PC staying away from elections and now that PC has embarked on a caravan of Change, these political lightweights and benefactors of election boycotts will be shown their right place,” the PC president said.
Asking the people to stand up for their own dignity and self-respect, Lone said that votes can either subject a nation into penury and misery or usher it towards economic and political prosperity. “It is a matter of the people’s self-respect to vote NC out of power. And PDP – a party of discards from all parties, including National Conference, can never claim to be an alternative,” Lone claimed.
The PC Chairman said that PC was organizing its presence across the Valley and its workers would go down in history as the courageous agents and representatives of Change. Peoples’ Conference believes in the non-negotiable ethics of accountability, transparency and dedicated governance. While NC and PDP are parties that reward corruption and loot, PC is the only force that believes in bringing every plunderer of the State’s resources and wealth to justice.On this occasion, the workers were also addressed by PC Kupwara District President Advocate Bashir Ahmed Dar, Constituency Head Lolab Mr. Masood Ahmed, District Coordinator Abdul Ahad Shumnagi, District Secretary Mohammad Maqbool Hajam and constituency coordinator Lolaab, Tanvir Ahmed Khan.