Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 17: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has charged Pakistan Army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) with being biggest hurdles in smooth relations between India and Pakistan and said the neighbouring country has not stopped aiding and abetting terrorism, which was still a matter of concern.
Addressing public meetings at Mendhar and Kalakote in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri yesterday during his three days campaign in favour of Congress candidate for Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha seat Madan Lal Sharma, Mr Azad said: “Pakistan continued to aid and abet terrorism in India including Jammu and Kashmir, which was the major reason that the two countries didn’t have the normal relations”.
Mr Azad left for New Delhi last night.
He charged Pakistan Army and ISI with being biggest hurdles in normal relations between India and Pakistan.
“Pakistan Army and ISI were trying to run and control affairs in Pakistan. They don’t want smooth relations between the two neighbouring countries,” Mr Azad said.
He added that civil population of the two nations wants to live in peace but it were the ISI and Pakistan Army, who didn’t want peace between the two countries.
“Those at the helm of affairs in ISI and Pakistan Army were minting money by launching campaign of hatredness against India. Through anti-India hatred campaign, Pakistan Army and ISI are earning and that was why these groups don’t want normalization of relations between the two countries,” the Congress leader said.
Describing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as “communal” albeit without naming it, Mr Azad declared that upcoming Lok Sabha elections were a battle between communal and secular forces. He hoped the voters would elect secular forces, represented by the Congress.
Mr Azad said: “it was during Congress led regime in the State that normalcy was restored and those who had created terror were taken to task. At that time during militancy, our sisters and daughters used to be harassed and tortured by foreign mercenaries. But when I took over as the Chief Minister in 2005, security and self respect for women remained my top priority. And now, things have changed a lot and the people especially living in the border hamlets feel safe and were living a peaceful life.”
Seeking support for Congress candidate Madan Lal Sharma, who is contesting election from Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha seat, Mr Azad said that it was need of the hour to strengthen secular forces in the country. He said that Congress was symbol of secularism in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country.
Cautioning people against wasting their votes, Mr Azad said that opposition PDP was very much aware that their candidate was not going to win the elections but they (PDP) has fielded their candidates only to cut secular votes in Jammu region.
“Only Congress candidate is in a position to take on divisive politics of BJP so people should not waste their votes”, he said.
Mr Azad appreciated the fact that India stood consistently for secularism, togetherness of all communities, peace and progress.
Speaking on the occasion, PCC (I) chief Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz made a passionate appeal to the people to realize that every vote was precious and Kalakote and Mendhar together with Rajouri & Poonch and other areas should decide to vote for the coalition candidate Madan Lal Sharma.
Mr Soz also appealed to the people to realize that the Congress party at the Centre was fighting a battle against the forces of “divisiveness, sectarianism and communalism”. He gave a call to the entire region of Rajouri and Poonch to realize their responsibility in fighting these negative forces.
Planning and Development Minister Ajay Sadhotra, National Conference provincial president Devender Singh Rana and Deputy Chairman Legislative Council Javed Rana made an appeal to the people to vote in great numbers for the NC-Congress joint candidate Madan Lal Sharma. They stressed their party workers that the decision has been taken by party president and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi and it is now the duty of each party cadre to ensure the victory of the coalition candidate.
In his address, Madan Lal Sharma appealed to the people to provide him yet another opportunity to serve them best. He cautioned the people to remain vigilant and give befitting reply to divisive forces and further strengthen the secular forces in the interest of the nation.
Kalakote rally of Mr Azad was also addressed by MLA Kalakote and NC leader Rashpal Singh, PCC (I) women wing president Indu Pawar and former Kalakote MLA Ashok Sharma among others.
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