With Assembly Elections 3 Years Away, National Conference Dumps Ally Congress

The President of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference(NC), Dr Farooq Abdullah, on Monday announced to contest the next assembly election alone, saying his party was confident of a massive mandate on its own, given the support of the people at ground zero.

The NC had formed a coalition government with Congress party after 2008 elections.“We won’t have an alliance with any party," Farooq said while addressing workers in Jammu this afternoon, adding that a stable, strong and people friendly government is the answer to problems facing Jammu and Kashmir”.

“Immediately after forming the government, National Conference will bring legislation in the first assembly session with regard to regional autonomy," he said and added that this will empower every segment of society and every region and sub-region politically and economically.

He asked the party cadre to gear up for the big challenge and work for further strengthening the NC at every level.

Dr Abdullah alleged that the BJP has divided the nation on religion. He said this dispensation has negated the vision of freedom fighters who gave sacrifices to free India from the shackles of British.

“At that point of time, the freedom stalwarts did not think in terms of Hindus, Muslims or Sikhs but their paramount mission was to seek freedom for India, the abode of all faiths," he said, adding that the divisive forces have trampled the spirit of freedom. He, however, exuded confidence that this gloomy era will be over soon and the day will come when the India of Mahatma Gandhi will be retrieved again.

About the RSS, NC President said during the freedom struggle its top brass praised the British and now its ranks were honouring the killer of Father of Nation. During 1975 emergency, he said the RSS supported Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, according to a book penned by Mr Rajeshwar Rao, and said that the support was in lieu of forced family planning of Muslims during those horrendous days.

Dr Abdullah also questioned the neutrality of the BJP led NDA Government over the US acknowledgement of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. “Like United Kingdom, France and other countries, New Delhi should have taken a position over the disputed status of Jerusalem”, he said and assailed the US President Donald Trump for his "illogical decision."

The National Conference President referred to the circumstances leading to safe passage of militants at Kandhar during the tenure of Atal Behari Vajpayee as Prime Minister and said the situation has now taken such a turn that India’s pleas in the United Nations over the declaration of Maulana Azhar as a global terrorist is being vetoed by China.

“The BJP must have some sort of introspection and must remember the nation wants sacrifices," he said and accused the party of sowing seeds of hate and intolerance in the country.

He cautioned the people against the BJP’s machinations and said National Conference will have to play its designated role in strengthening bonds of amity and brotherhood between various segments of society and the three regions of the state.