Ahead of taking oath as the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah visited the grave of his grandfather and founder of National Conference, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. The NC has been alleging that BJP has been targeting Sheikh’s legacy after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019 removing his name from government institutions of J&K.
“What better way to start the day than by visiting the Qaid Mazar, as democracy returns to Jammu and Kashmir. The cherished values and principles upheld by my grandparents will serve as a guiding light as we work towards a safer future for our beleaguered region,” Omar said after visiting the grave.
After the abrogation of Article 370, the NC accused the BJP of downplaying the role of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in Kashmir's history, instead highlighting the role of the last Dogra ruler, Maharaja Hari Singh. Four years ago the government cancelled public holidays on December 5, which had been observed to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, the founder of the National Conference and former Prime Minister and Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. At the same time, the government decided to designate Maharaja Hari Singh's birthday as a public holiday.
"The government has taken a decision to declare Maharaja Hari Singh Ji’s birthday as a public holiday. Maharaja Hari Singh was a great educationist, progressive thinker, social reformer and a towering man of ideas and ideals. The public holiday will be a fitting tribute to Maharaja Hari Singh Ji’s rich legacy,” Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor said in 2022.
“Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah remains the tallest leader of Jammu and Kashmir. Not just he was patron of the National Conference but because of reforms and revolutionary rule he has played in J&K politics and empowering people of J&K,” says NC spokesperson Ifra Jan. She described the visit of Omar Abdullah to Sheikh grave as a significant event saying the BJP in the past tried to erase his legacy as the “BJP doesn’t like any other leader other than their own."
"Today, if you examine the Human Development Index in Jammu and Kashmir-life expectancy and any other metric of development-you’ll find that J&K is outperforming many states. This isn't due to the BJP; it's because of Sheikh Abdullah's socialist vision. Despite tremendous pressure from landlords and zamindars, he implemented exceptional land reforms that are unparalleled anywhere else," Jan said.
“This is for the first time in 70 years of Indian independence that it is the Supreme Court that has given directions for holding elections in Jammu and Kashmir. This happened petitioners including the National Conference fought for it in the Supreme Court of India. It is also the first time in India that a state was converted into a Union Territory, it is like questioning the dignity of people and people answering back democratically,” the NC spokesperson said. “It is people who take up unconstitutional means to force the government accept their demands. Here it is unusual. It is the government that used unconstitutional means to fight people of J&K and people in turn fought constitutionally making this moment very significant,” Ifra Jan said.
