Srinagar: National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Alliance led by Farooq Abdullah is upbeat with the unprecedented support it is receiving from people across Jammu and Kashmir.
“We are doing politics in extraordinary times, never in history post 1996, has the Government of India been so disinclined towards contesting candidates. Such an outlook is unheard of in an emancipated world and in the post independent India, where anyone who is participating in a democratic exercise is being intimidated and vilified,” he said while chairing a party meeting here.
The former chief minister alleged that the “plaint lot” which has surfaced to strengthen BJP-RSS is apparently being facilitated by the administration in the ongoing DDC elections by circumventing all norms.
“In spite of that people are coming in large numbers to ensure that anti-Kashmir forces don’t get a chance to play any mischief with the mandate in wake of any thin voting and ubiquitous favouritism of administration towards BJP, its ilk,” said Omar.
He said that the party has given primacy to the interests of the people of J&K to ensure that realization that has dawned upon the political parties in J&K is able to endure the antagonism from BJP, its Team-B.
“Ditching all the allegations that it was the power that the party hankered for, our party president took a lead and cobbled an alliance for the restoration of restoration of J&Ks identity.
“The party president knew that the movement we get splintered, our political adversaries in the shape of BJP and its team of pliant stooges will get a free run to trade off all vital interests of people of J&K for petty political gains. It was in that perspective that the party sought to give primacy to PAGD and willing to give any sacrifice for the same in the future also, because we are not fighting for power,” he added.
According to him, participating in DDC elections is part of the struggle for the restoration of rights which were annexed by the ruling BJP.
“We are fighting to see our state flag hoisted next to the national flag. Moreover, we aren’t seeking anything outside the ambit of the country’s constitution. We are fighting for the rights which are there in the constitution itself,” Omar said.
Keeping in view the all-out support of people for PAGD, the edgy BJP has increased its tirade against the PAGD leadership orchestrating false allegations against them and by employing various intimidating measures to dissuade the People’s Alliance.
He said that BJP is resorting to propping up the names of PAGD leadership in Roshni Act. However, the allegations will also stand debunked when subjected to fact-checking. “A false perception is being sold about Roshni Scheme but how could it possibly be illegal when it was passed by the state legislature and also accorded concurrence by the then Governor. In the spree of mounting tirade on PAGD, BJP fails to remember that it was the same Governor’s post which was callously, unconstitutionally and undemocratically used to dismember and disenfranchise the state. If we go by BJPs analogy, then all the measures which were carried out by the governor are principally illegal because it didn’t even receive the assent of the state legislature,” he said.
“Why is it that only PAGD is targeted? What about BJP’s own members whose names in fact have propped up in the land grab? The names of one of its members, former speaker and the former deputy chief minister, as a point of fact have surfaced in illicit land grab in Jammu,” he said.

KR Desk