Senior PDP leader and Member Parliament, Tariq Hameed Karra today said instead of creating an impression that BJP is trying to conquer Jammu and Kashmir through political might, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi should reach out to the people of the State with tangible confidence building measures to provide a healing touch to their sufferings. “Unfortunately, BJP and RSS is not only polarizing people on communal and ethnic lines, but an impression is fast gaining ground in Kashmir that the Saffron brigade is trying to conquer the State using political might and timeserving proxies,” Karra said while addressing a series of road-side election meetings in Batamaloo constituency to enlist support for PDP candidate Noor Mohammad Sheikh.He said BJP’s affronting show of might in Kashmir is loaded with dangerous consequences and it could fuel fresh wave of alienation and distrust among the people, especially the youth.
“The political subversion and uncertainty that the state has faced in the last seven decades has already taken a heavy toll on its polity, economy and human resource and it can ill afford any further disruption,” Karra said and added that the attempts being made by the Saffron brigade to squeeze the space for its residents will have to be met with maturity, wisdom, collective action and democratic assertion of our rights. Expressing dismay over the sinister efforts to project the people’s encouraging participation in the ongoing polls as the Kashmir problem having disappeared, Karra said elections were being held in Kashmir before the eruption of turmoil as well with much larger participation of the people, “why did the armed conflict erupt then in early nineties?”. “Why did 2010 unrest happen if people had participated in similar numbers in 2008 assembly polls?” he questioned and added that if elections are really the solution of the Kashmir issue, why isn’t AFSPA being removed as so many polls have been conducted in the State since the inception of the controversial law?
Karra said BJP leaders are flooding the State only to indulge in rhetorical melodramatics without extending any substantial financial or material help to the State to deal with its enormous economic problems. “Even the flood-affected have been left high and dry both by the BJP government at the centre and the NC-Congress coalition government in the State,” he said.Seeking a decisive mandate for PDP, Karra said the people of the State in general and the youth in particular are looking up towards the PDP with great hope and expectations to put up a responsive political structure, productive economic setup and supportive social fabric in place.
Karra said the emerging positive and feasible scenario, propelled by the pro-people policies of PDP, has set the trend for the ultimate and amicable resolution of the Kashmir issue. He said whatever issues PDP raised including opening of traditional road links, ensuring relief to the people in the security measures and the reduction of troops, the party has had a success that eluded earlier attempts.Karra said the driving force for the PDP’s endeavors was the public support, without which the party could have not achieved much. “We have still a lot to accomplish in the interest of the people of the State and our struggle would continue for that,” he said. PDP candidate for Batamaloo assembly segment Noor Mohammad Sheikh also addressed the gatherings.