Reminding the people of great sacrifices of National Conference and its stalwarts to safeguard the interests of the State and to ensure empowerment of people, Working President National Conference and Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Tuesday said that NC’s birth in the State has been as a public movement rather than a party and its political agenda is holistic, inclusive and youth centric.“We are not the baby of any agency, nor the creation of any outside sponsor. We owe our existence and power to common masses of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and we only bank upon the public support”, he asserted and hinted at the formation of PDP by Jagmohan and company to damage the local base of National Conference and scuttle its political agenda for peaceful and modern Jammu and Kashmir.According to a statement issued to KNS the Working President National Conference was addressing public rallies at Ukhral, Khari and Neel in Banihal Assembly Constituency organized by the National Conference Jammu Province in support of its NC Candidate Sajjad Shaheen.
Omar Abdullah said that times bear testimony that NC never compromised its political agenda and high values of secular democratic ethos. “We have braved the brunt of highhandedness, animosity and false propaganda.
Our leaders and workers were made to suffer severely. Atrocities of all kinds were let loose on our workers and leaders in different periods but nobody could shatter our firm faith in our political agenda”, he said and added that presently old enemies of National Conference alongwith their associates have gathered in new form under one umbrella to break NC’s public base by resorting to falsehood and baseless propaganda.“Teach them a lesson once again as you did in 1977 when they were in another disguise to tarnish your unity and strength. They camouflage with different situations to give illusion of being your friends but their vengeance, hostility and animosity against National Conference and its political agenda comes to fore by their own actions and omissions”, he said and added that PDP has become a new camping ground for all those elements who in one or the other form bear acrimony against National Conference and want to harm it.“They have no agenda for public good or the betterment of the State. They have joined hands only to put hurdles in the forward movement of National Conference to seek permanent peace and youth welfare in the State”, he said and added that these elements have neither in the past deterred National Conference nor at present will be able to do so as people fully recognize them as a spent force by various sponsors in the political fields during different periods.
Omar Abdullah urged the people to exhibit their firm faith in National Conference and its political agenda and come forward in large numbers to vote for its candidates to give the party clear majority in the State Legislature and contribute positively in realizing the goal of ‘Naya Kashmir’, envisioned by National Conference for the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.The Chief Minister mentioned the historic measures taken by his government to empower people and make them partners in the decision making and implementation of development and welfare schemes. He referred to the path braking steps taken by his government and innovative legislations enacted during the last six years to legally empower the people to scan the government functioning at any level.Omar Abdullah said that by enacting Pubic Services Guarantee Act, his government authorized the people to demand public services in a fixed time frame and chargesheet the government functionary who denies or delays the delivery of any such service within the stipulated time frame fixed for such service under the Act. He said that a fine upto Rs. 5000 could be imposed against the erring government functionary, and the consumer who has not been provided the asked service within the stipulated time frame is entitled to a portion of this fine as compensation. He said this historic legislation by his government has put Jammu and Kashmir on the top of the list of such States where public service delivery has been made legally time bound.
Omar Abdullah also mentioned the thousands of works and schemes started, completed and commissioned in various sectors to give fillip to the comprehensive development of Jammu and Kashmir and seek economic welfare of its people.Speaking on the occasion, Provincial President National Conference, Jammu, Devender Singh Rana castigated pisive forces and said that solidarity of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh is the corner stone of National Conference’s political agenda. He said NC will always work for the inclusive and equitable development of all areas of the State.Devender Singh Rana said that public support has been the fountain head of National Conference and its strength is deep rooted in all the regions and sub-regions of the State. He said the popularity of National Conference and its leadership is for its truthfulness, state-forwardness, public commitment and firm political and development agenda. He said National Conference stands for the unity, amity, solidarity and brotherhood of Jammu and Kashmir.
“We have always nurtured secular-democratic society and our ideology for inclusive and equitable development and upliftment of weaker sections and those living in far-flung and remote areas is the focal point of our policy programme”, he said and added that NC would take all steps to seek peace and prosperity for Jammu and Kashmir. He also sought overwhelming support for NC Candidates and said that voting in favour of NC candidates is voting in favour of peaceful and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir.The public meetings were also addressed by the NC candidate from Banihal Assembly Constituency Sajjad Shaheen and other local leaders.At Neel Mohammad Rafiq Daing, Abdul Rashid Naik and Gh. Rasool joined National Conference and pledged to work for the victory of Sajjad Shaeen with a big margin. (KNS)