Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 16: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad said today that with elections round the corner, the “communal forces” have suddenly become active and were trying to polarize the society to gain political mileage. He described this trend as “very dangerous” to the society and the country.
Addressing Diwali-Eid-Gurpurab Milan organised by `Jammu Lawyers’ here this evening, Mr Azad without naming the BJP or its Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi said the communal forces in the country were misusing democracy to polarize society for political gains.
“The people would have to meet the biggest challenge posed by the communal forces before the country and its secular character”, he added.
Asserting that the people had slowly started forgetting the communal frenzy of Godhra, Gujarat, which took place over a decade back, Mr Azad said the recent communal clashes of Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh and Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir were a grim reminder that communal forces were on the work especially when the general elections were fast approaching.
“The development works done by the Governments are suddenly forgotten. The communal forces try to exploit emotional sentiments of the people. This is not good for democracy. This is not good for people. This is not good for any Government,” the Union Minister said.
He added: “during elections there are elements, who are trying to use the methodology of polarizing the atmosphere. Casteism and communalism have been brought into the elections leaving behind bad taste”.
The Union Minister pointed out that in Uttar Pradesh not only the communal but even the casteism was also being exploited.
Mr Azad recalled that earlier elections were contested on the basis of programmes and policies. “Earlier political parties used to seek mandate of the people on the performance of their work but now some parties are all out to divide people in the name of religion and castes for political benefits”, Mr Azad said and especially mentioned that Uttar Pradesh was glaring example of such divisive politics in the country.
Not sparing the hardliner Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani either, Mr Azad without naming him said some organisations have started giving calls for election boycott, which was not good for democracy. The people should have right to vote the candidates of their choice, he said.
Mr Azad, who spent two and a half days in Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar districts holding public meetings and meeting people, said when he visited the houses of two persons killed in August 9 riots, the victims of both the communities blamed political leaders for not visiting them. He added that senior leaders of the ruling parties should have gone to the houses of communal violence victims in Kishtwar.
Calling upon the people to defeat divisive forces, Mr Azad said that those trying to create division among the people on the name of caste and religion should be exposed and every step should be taken to frustrate nefarious designs of such forces. He, however, expressed his happiness that some individuals and some people are collectively working to cement relations among different communities.
“At the time of crises, voice of these individuals mostly remained unheard”, he observed and called upon the members of the civil society to support such individuals who have been working for strengthening communal harmony and brotherhood. Azad gave example of Kishtwar violence, which created division among two communities in the name of religions.
The Union Minister said that strengthening communal harmony and brotherhood was very important in this part of the country because Jammu and Kashmir has already suffered a lot due to two decades long militancy. “Strengthening brotherhood in our areas is in our hand so we have to shoulder our responsibility”, he said and cautioned in the days to come communal forces would become more active due to coming general elections.
Mr Azad pointed out that topography and geographic locations of the State are such that ” we can’t tolerate communal division. Our dependence is on various parts of the country. The communal violence would send wrong message across the nation”.
He said he visited Chenab Valley for almost three days, which was more social in nature than political and he wanted to cement relations between the two communities.
He added that it was in eighties when he became MP that then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi used to host Diwali-Eid-Gurpurab Milan in New Delhi. “Jammu has started this new practice and we hope it will continue”.
Earlier, chairing the three-day workshop of Red Cross volunteers at Bhaderwah in Doda district this morning Mr Azad highlighted role of youth in disaster management saying that in the event of any natural calamity or other incident, these trained youth can contribute vigorously in relief and rehabilitation process.
On the occasion, Mr Azad distributed as many as 500 first aid kits among the Red Cross Society besides announcing an AMT school and a maternity and children care unit for Bhaderwah.
He inaugurated a hospital at Dandi in Bhaderwah and directed the officials to ensure quality treatment to the ailing people. He also asked them to complete the remaining part of hospital building at the earliest.
The Minister inaugurated a seminar titled ‘Information Technology, Computer Research and Development – Emerging Paradigms in Modern World’ at University campus, Bhaderwah organised by MCA Department.
Mr Azad congratulated the staff, teachers and students for their efforts in organising such an informative seminar in an institution which is still in its infancy. He appreciated remarkable growth of Bhaderwah Campus in a short span of time.
The Minister also released a book titled “Preliminary Objective Question Cluster”.
The Minister had an aerial survey of Bhaderwah-Chamba road.
He inaugurated a Community Centre at Bhaderwah and said it would serve as a hub for literary and cultural activities in the town. The centre has been constructed by JKPCC at a cost of Rs 2 crore.
At Doda, Mr Azad inaugurated a fair price medical shop at Doda Hospital run by Red Cross, which will provide medicines at nominal rates.
He announced a maternity and children care unit for old Hospital Doda.
The Union Minister visited Lal Draman area and addressed a public meeting.
He also visited the residence of two Kishtwar communal riots victims and expressed his grief and sorrow over the loss of lives in August 9 Kishtwar communal violence.
Mr Azad visited the house of Arvind Raj Baghat and Bashir Ahmed Mochi of Sangram Bhata in Kishtwar. During his visit to the homes of victims, the family members of the deceased put forth their views before the Union Minister and demanded justice for the family members who lost their lives in communal violence.
Mr Azad visited the shrines of 17th century Sufi saints Hazrat Shah Mohammad Fareed-ud-Din Baghdadi (RTA) and Hazrat Shah Mohammad Asrar-ud-Din Baghdadi (RTA) and prayed for the peace and tranquility of Kishtwar and State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Both the shrines are considered as symbol of communal harmony and brotherhood as people from both the communities pays obeisance at both the shrines every day.
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