Our Correspondent
Udhampur, September 21
Leaders of the district unit of the National Conference, headed by Sunil Verma, district NC president, in a joint press statement demanded the immediate release of National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah, vice-president Umar Abdullah and general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar immediately.
Earlier, a meeting in this regard was held wherein senior National Conference leaders, including KD Sharma, Hari Gopal Sharma, Manmohan Verma, Khalil Mohammad, Naresh Anthal, VD Surishta, Gulam Rasool Mushtaq, Vikrant Sharma, John Wilson and Ravi Kumar, were present.
While issuing the joint statement, leaders expressed their resentment over the detention of NC leaders. They recalled the sacrifices made by Sheikh Abdullah during 1947 by which Kashmir became the integral part of India. After that, while fighting militants and other anti-national elements more than 15,000 NC leaders, workers also sacrificed their lives.
The NC leaders said Dr Abdullah was a secular, patriot and public-loving figure and remained the Chief Minister of the state for three times. During his tenure, the state flourished in very field and equal development of all the three regions was done. He was the person who united all communities decades ago.
The leaders also appealed to the President and Prime Minister to release the NC leaders immediately.