Time will prove our relevance, says NC

Tribune News Service

Jammu, October 21

The National Conference today asserted that time alone will prove its efficacy and relevance in Jammu and Kashmir polity, adding that dignity and welfare of people come first for the party and not the politics.

“We don’t need any certificate from the BJP about our relevance in the state politics,” senior National Conference leaders said in a joint statement while reacting to the observations of supposedly responsible BJP leaders about significance of detained party president Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah in Jammu and Kashmir politics.

“There seems to be inherent contradictions between the government and the BJP leadership. While the Central government is maintaining that the mainstream political leaders have been detained to prevent them from mobilising people against the political decisions taken in the recent past, thereby creating breach of peace, and on the other hand, the BJP leaders are saying that the mainstream political parties are irrelevant in J&K,” the statement said.

The joint signatories of the statement were provincial president of the National Conference Devender Singh Rana, Ajay Kumar Sadhotra, Surjeet Singh Slathia, Rattan Lal Gupta and others.

“If they are irrelevant, why don’t you release them,” the NC leaders asked, advising the BJP to shun NC phobia and instead reach out to the people and work towards restoration of peace and democracy.

“The state is passing through most difficult times and the ruling BJP must come up with a clear roadmap to deal with the situation instead of indulging in rhetoric,” the statement said, adding that spreading canards about NC leadership would not work and the BJP should try to provide succour to the people.

They cautioned the BJP against defaming political leadership of J&K, which had withstood test of times and surmounted challenges during most difficult times with courage and fortitude in the larger interest of the people of the region.

“The nation understands and acknowledges the contribution and relevance of Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah in the J&K polity and the esteem they enjoy in the hearts of their people,” the NC leaders said and advised the BJP leaders to shun their myopic political vision and hate for the NC leadership.