If divisive politics of BJP prevails, future generations of J&K will suffer: Omar Abdullah
Addresses series of election rallies, meetings in Tangmarg, Sogam, Kupwara
Srinagar, 28 Sept: The Vice President of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Omar Abdullah Saturday said the rights of 14 million people were stripped away thereby inflicting a serious blow on the psyche of people of Jammu and Kashmir.
He made these comments while addressing a series of back election rallies in Tangmarg, Lolab and Halmatpora Kupwara today as part of the ongoing campaign. The events were organized by the party’s contesting candidates Farooq Ahmed Shah, Qaiser Jamshed Lone and Nasir Aslam Wani. Party Treasurer Shammi Oberoi also attended the rallies.
“People of J&K once had the exclusive rights to the land, employment, education, rivers, forests, and other resources of Jammu and Kashmir. However, on August 5, 2019, our rights were forcefully stripped away and handed over to 1.4 billion people. The current BJP government is determined to put an official stamp on their actions in the Assembly. We have no other option but to stop them,” Omar said.
Omar said that assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are being held after 10 years and a lot has changed in these 10 years. “A lot has been taken away from us, our dignity, our honor, our identity has been taken away from us. Before 2019, when there were assembly elections, we had our own flag, we had our own constitution, Ladakh was our part, we had our own state, we had the right to our own land in the state, we had the right to our own employment, we had the right to rivers, mountains and forests. But PDP opened the doors for BJP here and finally on August 5, 2019, the rights of 1.4 Cr people were taken away and given to 1 billion 40 crore people and the people here got nothing in return. People here have seen nothing but destruction, unemployment, despair. The last 10 years have been very upsetting for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Omar Abdullah said that today BJP is using its full force by using some people to divide votes. “In the parliamentary election, votes were asked from the people of North Kashmir based on emotions and people voted emotionally, it is different that Engineer Rashid won with their votes but he was not released, today the people of North Kashmir have no representation in the Parliament while our two MPs are getting applauded in the Parliament.”
Omar Abdullah said that Engineer Rasheed has not been released to represent North Kashmir but only for 20 days so that he can divide votes of the people here. He said that in the FIR in which Rasheed was arrested, the names of Yasin Malik, Shabbir Shah, Masarat Alam and Asia Andrabi Sahiba are also included in the same FIR, then why are they not allowed to come out? It is something to think about.
On the one hand, Er Rasheed says that he is against Modi’s new Kashmir model, while on the other hand, he is fielding candidates in Sonawari, Beerwah and other constituencies, who are led by BJP and who have been here for the past 5 years running their agenda.
Omar Abdullah said, “Surprisingly, Engineer Rasheed said in an interview that in July 2018, Modi called him to his home and told him during an hour and twenty minute meeting that he wants to remove Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and we need your help. And Engineer Rashid clearly says in the interview that “I am with you for whatever good you do for Jammu and Kashmir”. My question to Rashid is that if you knew, why didn’t you tell anyone about this? Why did you not mention this in any speech? At least one lawyer would have tried to bring an injunction in the Supreme Court. It is possible that the Supreme Court would have stopped the government from doing so. Why did you remain silent?”
He appealed to the voters of Kashmir that there is no room for error, the vote in the assembly elections is directly related to the future generations, if the vote is misused, God forbid, the future of this state will get ruined.
