Mir Iqbal
Khag, (Budgam) Dec 5: Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader, Ghulam Nabi Azad, today held Pakistan and some internal forces responsible for the multiple attacks that rocked Kashmir valley today in which 21 people were killed.
Azad while addressing an election rally here in Central Kashmir district of Budgam, said that the frequent attacks during the election process is the handiwork of some forces to disrupt massive voter turnout in the State.
“Jammu and Kashmir witnessed massive voter turnout in the first two phases of the elections, which some forces both internal as well as external don’t like,” said Azad.
The leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha said that there are many forces working in the State- both internal and external – which get benefitted by such incidents. “Many forces’ here don’t like to see huge voting percentage, because of which they resort to such incidents. I don’t want to discuss these forces, but there are many such forces,” he said.
Without naming any political party, Azad said: “I doubt some political parties might be doing it for their vested interests. Many political parties are beneficiaries of such tactics, I doubt they might be doing it,” he said.
The Congress leader said to defeat such forces’, people of J&K must participate in ongoing election enmasse. “In first 2- phases of election, J&K people defeated these forces in Chenab valley, Poonch region and parts of Kashmir valley,” he said.
Azad also said that the people of State witnessed such incidents from last 30-years and have been fighting against it with full strength. “These forces should know that J&K people be cowed down by such minor incidents,” he said.
The former Chief Minister appealed people to come out and vote without any fear in next 3-phases also.
Azad also lambasted Narendra Modi led BJP Government at Center for its failure to tackle frequent attack in borders areas of the State, because of which a large portion of populations was affected. “The day Modi Government took the charge at New Delhi, maximum ceasefire violations were reported and he (Modi) failed to stop them,” he said.
Criticizing BJP for garnering support in the elections on religion and caste basis, Azad said Congress is the only secular party in the country that didn’t believe on religion or caste based politics.
Terming Congress party rule as golden period in the State, Azad said, the State witnessed a lot of development in every field which benefitted every section of society.
“Our rule was golden period for the State, as J&K witnessed massive development like huge network of roads, railway lines, hospitals and implementation of dozens of centrally sponsored schemes in the State,” he said.
Questioning the role played by the political parties in the recent floods, the former Chief Minister said: “I was myself rescuing people in the flood affected areas and that too at a time when everybody was running for their safety.”
The Congress leader also said that he was hopeful to form next Government in the State of their own without any support from any other political party.
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