Jammu: Former Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) President 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 tye party enjoys.

“We won’t have alliance with any party,” NC President said while addressing workers here this afternoon, adding that a stable, strong and people friendly government is the answer to problems being faced  by the state.”

“Immediately after forming the government, NC 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.

Farooq while addressing workers in Udhampur asked the party cadre to gear up for the big challenge and work for further strengthening the party at every level.

The senior Abdullah lambasted the BJP for dividing the nation on religion and 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.

 Coming down heavily on the RSS, Farooq said that 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 Rajeshwar Rao, and said that the support was in lieu of forced family planning of Muslims during those horrendous days.

 Dr Farooq Abdullah also questioned the neutrality of the BJP led NDA government over the US acknowledgement of Jerusalem as 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.

He also referred to the circumstances leading to safe passage of terrorists 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 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 that NC 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.

Guest