Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 19: National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah today accused the RSS of colluding with British during India’s great freedom struggle, supported Indira Gandhi during emergency and is now dividing the nation on communal lines.
“By promoting and playing communal politics, the RSS and its off-shoots including the BJP are hell bent to fragment India into bits and pieces”, Dr Farooq Abdullah said while addressing office bearers and prominent leaders of NC Students Union at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhawan here this morning.
He questioned the hyper-nationalistic posturing of the BJP, saying history stands testimony to the negative role the RSS played during the freedom movement when stalwarts were facing the wrath of British. He questioned the role of the BJP in its earlier avatar of Jan Sangh and even before when its leaders aligned with British.
“The Sangh leaders played second fiddle to British and were against independence of India”, Dr Abdullah said, adding that they wanted Britishers to stay put in the country and intrigued against the towering freedom fighters. He wondered over the ultra-nationalism being gloated now, unfortunately by polarizing the political atmosphere and dubbing adversaries as anti-nationals.
Dr Abdullah referred to divisive politics of the BJP and decried the attempts of sowing seeds of hatred and mistrust among various communities for petty political gains. He said onus lies on youth of the country to sensitise the people against polarizing and communal politics of the BJP, RSS and its affiliated organizations. He said communal divide is against the idea of India and its ethos.
He also took a jibe at BJP or Jan Sangh’s hypocrisy, saying the RSS top brass had supported the 1975 emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He referred to the book of Rajesh Rao and said that even the RSS chief had wanted to meet Indira Gandhi, which she declined for being seen close to the Sangh.
The history, he said, has unfortunately been distorted and the version the young minds are being fed is far from facts. He dwelt upon the circumstances leading to accession of Jammu and Kashmir with Indian domain, essentially on three subjects-defense, communication and foreign affairs-and referred to promises made by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in Parliament and the UN. He said the people of the State are not asking anything beyond the promises made and National Conference is prepared to have positive discussions over autonomy.
The National Conference President also exhorted youth to gear up for upcoming Panchayat elections in a big way, saying their entry into public life will bring a fresh breather in the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir and help in steering it out of the prevailing morass.
He said National Conference has all along empowered the youth politically, which is why the State has never suffered from political vacuum. He, however, cautioned against the political deceits, who have let down their own people for the loaves of power or satiating the political agenda of anti-J&K elements.
“Reeling under the mis-rule and suffering from injustice, the people of the state deserve justice and the youth can be an effective instrument in this regard”, Dr Abdullah said, adding that National Conference will enter into electoral arena with a blend of young and experienced leadership for the larger interests of the three regions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
Provincial President Devender Singh Rana also spoke on the occasion and lauded the youth for their enthusiasm in serving the state and its people. Senior National Conference leaders were also present on the occasion.
Provincial Vice President and incharge youth wing Dr Chaman Lal also spoke on the occasion.
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