Excelsior Correspondent
BANIHAL, June 11: Censuring People’s Democratic Party for evading direct explanation to his charge of conspiring with Bhartiya Janta Party in 2008 to plunge Jammu and Kashmir into unprecedented political uncertainty, Provincial President National Conference Devender Singh Rana today wondered how they could side-track the real and a very serious issue by indulging in rhetoric.
Addressing party’s delegate session at Banihal and workers meeting at Hinjal in Banihal this afternoon, Mr Rana said that the people want to know the truth, as the unfortunate incidents in the wake of Amarnath land row agitation caste a dark shadow on the communal fabric of the pluralistic state and resulted into death and destruction.
“PDP should explain its role in the circumstances leading to the Amarnath land row agitation of 2008 rather than indulging in frivolous and baseless rhetoric after six days of silence in a bid to evade the core issue raised by me. They need to explain what transpired during PDP-BJP meetings in New Delhi, facilitated by the Jammu based BJP leader”, Mr Rana said while reiterating that the Amarnath land agitation was the conspiracy hatched by PDP and BJP to trifurcate the state and dislodge Ghulam Nabi Azad Government in a failed bid to capture the power.
Mr Rana vowed that National Conference will not allow the communal and fascist elements to vitiate the atmosphere of amity and brotherhood by putting one community against another. He said that a PDP MLC in Poonch has been following the footsteps of his President Mehbooba Mufti by showering praises on Narendra Modi.
“The MLC is going around and promising to the people that if PDP comes to power it will convert Jammu and Kashmir to Modi’s Gujarat”, he said. “Jammu and Kashmir is not Gujarat, communalism will not be allowed to spread its tentacles in Jammu and Kashmir”, he further said while referring to the great role of the people in keeping the flag of amity aloft even during most hostile and provocative situations. This spirit of secularism and communal harmony is the real strength of Jammu and Kashmir, he maintained.
Mr Rana said that his party has always placed interest of the people of all the three regions of Jammu and Kashmir above everything else. “We have never compromised for power”, he said and referred to how National Conference preferred to stay in opposition in 2002 despite being the single largest party and having offer of 15 MLAs including those of PDP to form the government. He said this spirit of sacrifice has endeared the party in the hearts of the people.
Speaking on the occasion, senior National Conference leader Sajjad Shaheen dismantled the hypocrisy of PDP, describing it a party of dream merchants who were selling the dreams which they themselves know were not achievable.
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