n ‘Will invite national parties for briefing’
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Aug 22: National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah today said that the leaders who participated in the All Party Meet (APM) at his Gupkar residence unanimously decided to oppose the recent announcement of Election Commission about giving voting rights to non-J&K residents.
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Abdullah said the decision of voting rights to outsiders was “totally unacceptable and if needed, we can approach the court to oppose the move.”
Addressing the media men, after APM, Abdullah said that he had convened the meeting to discuss the fall-out of recent announcement of EC about giving voting rights to non-J&K residents including labourers and security forces personnel. “The parties which participated in the meeting include NC, Congress, PDP, Awami National Conference (ANC), Shiv Sena, CPI(M), JDU and Akali Dal,” he said.
He said that at present the number of non-J&K residents who have been given voting rights is 25 lakh. “Tomorrow the number may go up to 50 lakh or 1 Crore. J&K’s identity is facing a direct assault as Dogras, Kashmiris, Sikhs and other communities are losing their identity,” said Abdullah.
He said that the fall-out of voting rights to non J&K residents will be that tomorrow “Assembly will be in the hands of outsiders.”
He said that five days ago, he rang up LG Manoj Sinha and requested him to convene an APM like one held on the issue of Amarnath Yatra. “I had requested LG to invite all parties, but there was no outcome,” he said, adding that last time, LG had stated that “he will be inviting J&K leaders frequently, but he failed to keep the word.”
Asked about future strategy, he said today APM explored all options and if needed, “we can approach court as well to oppose the EC’s decision of giving voting rights to non-J&K residents.”
“I wonder why J&K was chosen for this. There must be some motive,” Abdullah said. He said that in the month of September, he will invite leaders of national parties to Srinagar or Jammu, and brief them about the prevailing situation in J&K and the fresh moves of Centre to change the identity of people belonging to various communities in J&K.
The Apni Party led by Syed Altaf Bukhari and Peoples Conference chairman Sajjad Lone, stayed away from APM. The meeting was attended by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah, Shiv Sena J&K president, Manish Sahni, CPI general secretary, Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, ANC vice president Muzaffar Shah and others.
Congress president, Vikar Rasool and its working president Raman Bhalla also attended the All Party Meeting. Bhalla said that they are going to involve the national leadership of the party on the issue so as it raises it nationally.
“Due to the BJP designs in J&K, our identity faces threat. The way they are giving voting rights to outsiders, it is murder of democracy,” he added.
President of Shiv Sena, J&K, Manish Sahni who attended the All Party Meet said that it is not about Kashmir, but it is something that concerns the entire J&K. “We participated in the meeting to discuss the matter on which we have already protested in Jammu,” he said.
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