National Conference Working President Omar Abdullah Friday paid glorious tribute to Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah on his 109th Birth Anniversary by paying homage at Mazaar-e-Quaid in Hazratbal, Srinagar. Omar Abdullah offered Fateha at the mausoleum of Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and vowed to protect the dreams of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah by safeguarding the political rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.“Sher-e-Kashmir’s legacy is one of sacrifices and struggles for his people and that legacy is in stark contrast to the Machiavellian plans of political marauders and their local stooges who are talking about an apparent political conquest of Kashmir.
Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah spent twenty three years in prison for standing up to protect the political aspirations of our people and the cause of J&K’s political dignity and special status remained close to his heart till he lived. Now, we bear the mantle of those sacrifices and I assure my people that National Conference will stand in stoic defense of the State of J&K and its political interests. Nobody should have an iota of doubt about this. I will protect Sher-e-Kashmir's Dream with my blood”, Omar Abdullah said in Hazratbal.National Conference Working President also condemned recent anti-Muslim statements by Ministers in the BJP Government and said such remarks brought to fore an inherent animosity against minorities. “Let me make it very clear to BJP – the minorities of India are not punching bags to take such comments from your leaders and Ministers.
The people of Kashmir are not objects of ridicule that you come here riding on a multi-crore media blitz to stereotype us as medieval beings. We are a hardworking people who have achieved a lot by our grit and talent in the last eight decades after we got rid of autocracy from our State. We are a people who are extremely proud of our collective history, legacies and our national identity. We will bleed on our flag to keep it red and keep it aloft and no power on this earth can make us bow before an integrationist political party that is answerable on a thousand counts to the minorities of this country”, Omar Abdullah added.Omar reiterated NC’s commitment to safeguard Article 370 and said our biggest tribute to Sheikh’s legacy today would be to rally under the patriotic flag of National Conference and give our adversaries a befitting reply.The NC Working President was accompanied by senior NC leaders Ali Mohammad Sagar, Dr. Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, Mubarak Gul, Nasir Aslam Wani, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo, Sharif-ud-Din Shariq, Irfan Shah, Mohammad Sayeed Akhoon and Mohammad Yaseen Shah.