LJP slams parties for using Pandits as ‘tools’

Tribune News Service
Srinagar, April 17

Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) national spokesperson Sanjay Saraf on Tuesday flayed the parties for using the Kashmiri Pandits as political ‘tools’ ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

“The Pandits have a grievance...even though they (migrants) feel a sense of brotherhood in Kashmir but they also regret having been made a political tool only at the time of the elections. It is unfortunate that they (politicians) only do lip service and promise them rehabilitation before the polls only,” Saraf said while addressing a press conference here.

Urging the people to vote wisely for the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat that is going to the polls on April 18, he said: “We are not campaigning for any party but we want people to vote wisely... they should only vote for those who have a vision document with policies for the unemployed youth.”

Flaying National Conference candidate Farooq Abdullah for raking up the issue of restoring the Sadr-e-Riyasat and Prime Ministerial posts in the state, Saraf said: “I want to ask doctor sahib (Farooq)...will your son fight the Assembly elections to become PM or CM? He is deceiving the public...he was in the Parliament but did not ask a single question on atrocities.” “He says ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ when in front of (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi...but when he (Farooq) is here, he calls him (Modi) Hitler.... Why are you fighting the elections if you want to become the Prime Minister,” he added.

Saraf also appealed to the government to review the ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami and the movement of civilian traffic on the national highway on Wednesdays and Sundays. “The way the Jamaat-e-Islami was banned, we feel it is not rigth. If there in anything wrong happening, it can be put under scanner but we cannot ban the entire organisation. Many schools come under its ambit and the ban will affect the psyche of the children,” he said.