Protecting unity, integrity of J&K our primary goal: NC
Sagar, Nasir, Sakina address party conventions in south Kashmir
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Saturday asserted that protecting the unity, integrity of state was the primary goal of the party besides materializing the idea of a welfare state as enshrined in the party program of ‘Naya Kashmir’.
National Conference senior leaders led by General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar said this while addressing a series of workers’ conventions at Shangus, Kokernag, and Dooru Verinag areas of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Sagar while addressing the workers said, “The primary goal of the party is to protect the territorial integrity, identity, special status and the pluralistic visage of the state”.
He said the NC had rendered immense sacrifices for the protection of the interests of the state.
“However, the situation our state is facing today is far more perilous. Today our state is facing onslaught from all sides on its identity and unity. Forces as have traditional been against the special constitutional position of the state are contriving their level best to obliterate Art 370, Art 35-A,” he added.
Sagar said that the NC “will not allow any such gambit to materialize”.
“The party will continue to tread the path that was taken to it in 1931. Our agenda is pretty clear and unambiguous; it is to work towards the socio, political and economic emancipation of the people of the state. Our vision of development is not impaired by the bug of fanaticism, bigotry and regionalism. We have traditionally worked for every section of the society. We will continue to work with the same passion,” he said.
NC’s Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani said that Art 370, Art 35-A were the “articles of faith for the party”.
“The articles are as necessary and pivotal for Jammu and Ladakh regions as they are for Kashmir. These articles besides sanctifying the constitutional bond between the state and the center protect the rich culture of all the regions of the state. Above and beyond that the articles protect the exclusive right of the people living in all the regions of the state in jobs, scholarships,” Wani said.
He warned that if the articles were done away with, “the youth of the state, notwithstanding which region of the state they belong to, will be snatched of their exclusive right over the jobs, scholarships in the state”.
“Moreover the local youth of the state will find it very difficult to get admissions in the colleges and universities of the state,” he added.
He said that the “need of the hour calls for joining our efforts for the protection of the special status of the state. The way people have reposed their faith in the party during the parliament elections show that the people of the state deem it able to shoulder the mission of protecting the interests of the state.”
Addressing the workers, NC’s State Secretary Sakina Itoo said that the state of J&K belongs to its people.
“The people of the state are the lawful owners of this land. For past five years we did not see the central government do anything towards bringing rapprochement and reconciliation in the state. The people friendly programmes and measures initiated by the Omar Abdullah led government were out rightly put into a chasm by the former BJP-PDP government and the BJP led central government,” she alleged.
Itoo however expressed hope that the new dispensation at the centre “will heal the wounds of the people of the state in particular the people of valley”.
“I am hopeful that the central government will start meaningful dialogue with the neighboring country. Such a measure will bring respite to the people living along the LOC and international border,” she said.
Itoo also called for resumption of talks between India and Pakistan, which, she said, will help the people of the state to live a “better life free of insecurity and tension”.
“We in our party will continue to impress upon the central government to engage with the neighboring country. Internally too, centre should initiate talks with all the stake holders.”
Referring to the restoration of autonomy she said, “We firmly believe that restoration of the autonomy will satiate the development and other need of the all the regions of the state. In this direction our party had already got the recommendations of the state autonomy committee passed by the legislative assembly with 2/3rd majority”.
She said that restoring autonomy to the state “will clean the cobwebs of mistrust between the centre and the state besides providing for the local needs of the people across the state.”
Underscoring the need of delegating more administrative powers to all the sub-regions of the state, Itoo said that once in power the party will empower the far-flung areas of the state.
“De-centralization and strengthening of local civic bodies forms the core of our agenda. Once in power we will ensure speedy and effective de-centralization of the administrative powers in the state,” she said.
Among others district President Anantnag Altaf Kaloo, Muhammad Shafi, Advocate Riyaz Ahmad Khan, Syed Tauqeer, Peer Muhammad Hussain, Advocate Abbas Dar, and G N Adigami also addressed the gatherings.
KV News
