Rana slams Amit Shah for politicising border firing issue

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU Aug 25: Slamming Amit Shah for shedding crocodile tears over the plight of border dwellers in the wake of shelling from across the border and mutilating facts, Provincial President National Conference Devender Singh Rana today wished the BJP President to have checked his facts before giving unsolicited advice to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
“It may be alright for BJP to play to the galleries to whip up passions and to capitalize the miseries of fire affected people but National Conference feels the pain of sufferers as it has been witness to the situations not conducive for peace and tranquility in the State”, Mr Rana said while regretting over the typical mindset of the BJP leaders.
Putting the record straight, Mr Rana referred to the visit of Minister of State for Home Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo to the temporary dwelling places of the displaced border people in R S Pura immediately after killing of two civilians and its senior leaders camping in the Government Medical College Hospital in Jammu to look after the injured.
On the contrary, he wondered why the central BJP Ministers, who were touring the State, did not bother to visit the affected people. “Instead, they kept waiting for having a photo session along with their Party President”, he maintained.
Mr Rana said politicizing the unfortunate incidents speak of the prejudiced mindset of the BJP and its brazen attempt of polarizing the situation. He hoped that being in a responsible avatar now the BJP leaders will behave with a sense of responsibility and help in bringing about calm in the situation and mitigating the sufferings of the people. He said inciting passions on this issue will not serve anybody’s purpose.
The Provincial President said that the attempt by the BJP to polarise the society is likely to have far reaching consequences which will not only affect Jammu and Kashmir but its ripples could be felt across the country. “The firing from across the LoC and International Border is a matter of grave concern and is inappropriate for anybody to play politics with the people who are taking the brunt and are directly in the line of the fire.
Referring to the absurd accusation of calling Abdullahs as dynasts, the spokesperson said it is insulting the democratic franchise and those exercised the right of vote. He said Amit Shah is ignorant about the history of Jammu and Kashmir. “If he had gone through the annals of history he would not have made such baseless assertions”, he added.
“Sher-e-Kashmir was one of the tallest leaders of sub continent whose stature is of a political giant. It was he who rejected the two- nation theory and opted for a secular democratic country because he knew that Jammu and Kashmir’s ethno linguistic religious diversity has to be upheld by laying the foundation of a strong edifice of secularism. This message of pluralistic society was taken forward by Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah who like Sheikh Abdullah have all been democratically elected”, Mr Rana said.
The Provincial President said that it was the will of the people of Jammu and Kashmir that they (Abdullahs) served as Chief Ministers. “The people of the state identify themselves with the secular message of the Hindu, Muslim, Sikjh Ethad. As and when turmoil has come on the state, NC has always been on the forefront to protect the identity, honour and dignity of the people of the state. and have tirelessly worked to preserve the unity, integrity and diversity if Jammu and Kashmir”, he added.