Srinagar, Dec 23: National Conference Party President and Member of Parliament Dr Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said the massive mandate to PAGD spells out people’s rejection of August 5 measures.
“Despite beating every drum, people of J&K have firmly and avowedly rejected the misguided policy of BJP and its ilk in Jammu and Kashmir,’ Farooq said while addressing scores of party workers, YNC, Women’s Wing functionaries, Block Presidents from District Srinagar at Nawa-e-Subha, Srinagar.
Farooq said that the victory has frontally and suggestively pronounced that the people of Jammu and Kashmir stand with the idea behind PAGD. “I am Sher-e-Kashmir’s son, they won’t be able to cringe my resolve by coercive tactics. The workers of the National Conference have again proven that the anti Kashmir forces cannot wipe out our party from the political landscape of J&K. Our party has right from its inception been witness to such tempest; our party structure has overly been fashioned and strengthened by hardships. Our workers have never cringed beneath the frown of divisive forces; today’s victory also bears it out. I have full faith in the Almighty and the people. I am particularly grateful to people who have stood behind us and have audaciously make known their rejection for the August 5 measures undertaken by ruling BJP,” he said as per a statement to GNS by NC, adding, “It was BJP which had made the DDC elections look like referendum, now that the people of J&K have made their aversion for August 5 measures known, The ruling BJP should read the writing on the wall and undo the decisions taken on 5th of August in 2019. The results have also revealed how deeply etched our party is in the hearts of people across J&K. Those who were saying that NC was over, stand dejected. NC was and will continue to represent the people’s voice in an inclusive manner.”
Party Vice President Omar Abdullah while expressing gratitude to the workers for ensuring the massive victory said that the reason behind contesting DDC polls wasn’t to grab power but to strengthen the efforts of Dr. Farooq Abdullah led PAGD in its efforts to restore the status of the state. “BJP is now selling the results as a triumph of democracy. Had the PAGD lost then it would have spelled it out as people’s rejection of PAGD. The Alliance took birth in the wake of tough times. Last year all the constituent parties of PAGD were pitched against each other during the parliament elections but today the adversity has made us join our efforts to protect the interests of Jammu and Kashmir, which is under assault from divisive forces,” he said.
Alluding to the statements emanating from BJP that it was Democracy that has won, he said, “Surely the democracy has won but BJP should now waste no time and accept the democratic verdict of people against the August 5 2019 decisions.”
Extolling the workers and Party workers for abiding by the decision of party president on party mandate, Omar said that the Party has given immense sacrifice for strengthening PAGD. “I appreciate the efforts of our workers who stood the ground and abided by the decision of the party president. It was indeed a tough call for them to give up on segments where the party had tremendous support. Yet they took the hard decision and relinquished their stake to strengthen the efforts of Dr Farooq Sahib,” he said. Despite beating every drum that people of J&k were happy with the decisions of August 5 and that the PAGD platform was ‘antinational’, the BJP stands lost in these elections. “We have right from the beginning said that ours was a democratic fight for the restoration of our democratic rights. We have been putting forth that the people of Jammu and Kashmir aren’t happy with the measures of August 5; the results have proved us right. It is perhaps for the first time in history that we didn’t do any canvassing for any election. We didn’t canvass, we didn’t print banners. It is the people who on their own came out and supported us. Despite that people came out and voted in favor of Dr Farooq led PAGD. The victory is also reflective of the resolve of people, who braved all odds and weather vagaries. The victory also attains significance in face of the unsupportive administration and witch-hunting of the constituent parties of PAGD. The immense support for PAGD in Jammu division is yet another major takeaway of these elections that reveal how widely people across J&K attest to the programme of PAGD. The success assumes more significance in the face of the smear campaign against PAGD leadership; people across J&K have renounced the misinformation crusade out rightly. I assure Dr Farooq Sahib that in the future also JKNC rank and file will go to any end to strengthen his efforts as PAGD chairman,” he said. (GNS)
