Preserving Art 35A, 370, grant of regional autonomy main plank of NC: Farooq
JAMMU: A day after his party won all three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir, National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah on Friday flagged preservation of Article 35A and 370 of the Constitution.
Farooq said that grant of regional autonomy to Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh also was “main plank of his party” while exuding confidence that it will form next government in the state on its own.
“Gear up for assembly elections”, Dr Farooq Abdullah told National Conference workers and functionaries at a reception at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here this morning.
Farooq had arrived there after clean sweep of the party in all the three Lok Sabha seats it contested in just concluded elections.
Farooq said that National Conference is “well poised to register massive victory in all the three regions in the upcoming assembly elections”.
He further said that after formation of the government with absolute majority, they will work towards fulfilling the regional aspirations of the people “by grant of regional autonomy under the superintendence of the state government”.
The NC president said no section of the society should nurture a feeling of deprivation.
“This is in consonance with the policies and programmes of the party which has all along strived for equal opportunities to every segment of the society and all the three regions,” he said.
He solicited the support of the people in this effort and emphasized the need for strengthening bonds between Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Buddhists.
“Our agenda is to foster amity and bridge the gap between various sections of the society”, he said, adding that pluralistic ethos and inclusiveness is the greatest strength of the state.
Farooq also pledged that his party will work towards dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits to their homes and hearths in the Valley. He said restoration of peace is a pre-requisite, which has to be restored back in the state.
Taking all the people along, he said “is political philosophy of National Conference”.
He added that his party believes in healthy political discourse.
“We have to maintain and promote decency in politics”, he said.
Farooq also lauded the cadre for keeping away from reactionary politics. He stressed the need for strengthening the party, saying this will keep the cadre in good stead to face challenges confronted to the state.
On the outcome of the Lok Sabha polls, Dr Farooq Abdullah congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hoped that justice will be done with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
He said rights of the people are needed to be protected and a sense of security instilled among them. He said the Centre will have to walk an extra mile in reaching out to the people, expedite development, complete rail project to link Kashmir with railways on immediate basis and lay emphasis on dependable road communication.
Farooq expressed concern over frequent road closures on the Srinagar Jammu highway and said this aspect is required to be taken care of for the sake of smooth mobility.
National Conference President complimented the people for reposing their faith in the party in the parliamentary elections and said it will be bounden duty of all the three Members of Parliament to work for preserving the secular ethos of the country.
He said India belongs to all and this spirit has to be promoted and strengthened at all costs.
Congratulating Dr Farooq Abdullah on the victory of National Conference in the parliamentary elections, Provincial President Devender Singh Rana said this reinforces peoples’ immense faith in his and Omar Abdullah’s leadership.
“Dr Sahib is a towering leader, not only of the country but of the subcontinent as well, whose contribution has been gigantic in improving the condition of the people and strengthening bonds between different sections of the population”, he said.
Prominent among those present on the occasion included former ministers Ajay Kumar Sadhotra, Surjeet Singh Salathia, Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Shah Bukhari, Mr Abdul Gani Malik and Babu Rampal former legislators Rattan Lal Gupta, Sheikh Bashir Ahmed, Th. Kashmir Singh, Rachpal Singh, Qazi Jalal Ud Din, Sardar Tarlochan Singh Wazir, Dr. Chaman Lal, Dr. Kamal Arora, Mrs Bimla Luthra, Mrs Deepender Kour, Vijay Bakaya, Haji Mohd Hussain, Dr Gagan Bhagat, Mrs Suman Lata, senior leaders Jugal Mahajan, S. Gurdeep Singh Sasan, Dharamveer Singh Jamwal, Mrs Satwant Kour Dogra, Mrs Vijay Laxami Dutta, Chander Mohan Sharma, Mr Anil Dhar, Mohinder Singh, S. S Bunty, Pradeep Bali, S. Dharshan Singh Azad, Abdul Gani Teli, Vijay Lochan, Ch. Arshad, Mr Rajesh Bakashi, Mrs Dilshad Malik, Mrs Rashida Begum, Mrs Daljeet Sharma, Raj Kapoor, Mrs Somi Devi, Iftkhar Ahmad Choudhary, Nar Singh and others.
