Farooq Abdullah Calls For US Intervention In Kashmir

Srinagar: With his electoral fate hanging in balance National Conference president and former chief minister Dr Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday called for US intervention in Kashmir and said that those who pelt stones are just fighting for the nation.

Favouring mediation by United State as India and Pakistan have failed to address the Kashmir issue bilaterally, Dr Farooq said New Delhi cannot remain invested in the status-quo.

“We  were also opposing any third party mediation on Kashmir and were also in favour bilateral talks between the two countries to resolve the Kashmir issue in the past”, he said adding, “but nothing was achieved and time has come when we also support mediation by third party so that the sufferings of people could end”.

Reacting to the United States’ offer of mediation between India and Pakistan, Dr Abdullah said that New Delhi and Islamabad’s failure to engage with each other bilaterally over the years had added weight to the argument for international mediation.

 Addressing a party convention in Sonwar Assembly Segment of Srinagar Parliamentary constituency where from he is pitted against ruling party candidate, Dr Abdullah said New Delhi cannot remain invested in the status-quo on the Kashmir Issue and all possible methods of engagement and facilitation could be explored in the quest for a lasting resolution.

“ To think that New Delhi can somehow afford to remain invested in the status quo on the Kashmir Issue is wrong. New Delhi is obligated to be proactive in seeking a just, fair and acceptable solution to the Kashmir Issue”

“NC has always advocated and encouraged bilateral engagement between New Delhi and Islamabad on the Kashmir Issue but unfortunately whatever rare efforts were made to engage bilaterally failed to yield any concrete results. To think that New Delhi can somehow afford to remain invested in the status quo on the Kashmir Issue is wrong. New Delhi is obligated to be proactive in seeking a just, fair and acceptable solution to the Kashmir Issue and had they been forthcoming and keen in talking bilaterally, the question of international mediation wouldn’t have been raised today”, former Chief minister Dr Abdullah said.

He asked New Delhi and Islamabad to realize their responsibility in rescuing the tormented and suffering people of Kashmir from the throes of uncertainty and pain.       

 “You owe us your sincerity and commitment in initiating an open-ended, serious dialogue on Kashmir. It is a Kashmiri who suffers because of an obstinacy that has prevented comprehensive and sustained talks till now and sadly you expect us to suffer in perpetuity. The people of Kashmir haven’t been striving for a tunnel or for economic packages but for a just, fair and acceptable solution to the vexed political issue as per their aspirations”, he said.

Seeking unity among all stakeholders in Kashmir, Dr Abdullah asked divided quarters to unite in the quest for resolving the political issue. “Every conscientious individual and organization in Kashmir – whether mainstream or separatist – should have the ultimate aim of facilitating a resolution of the political issue to give relief, hope and peace to our people.

Unfortunately, rather than brining everyone together, various forces have chosen to fragment organizations and conglomerates under an operational policy to perpetuate confusion, chaos and contradictions in Kashmir. Today I ask all these organizations to come together guided by the common goal of working for the interests of our people and our State above political and ideological divides”, former union minister said.

Questioning prime minister Modi’s analogy of tourism or terrorism, Dr Abdullah said: ”I want to tell Modi saheb that tourism is our life, no doubt about that, but a stone pelter has nothing to do with tourism. They (stone pelters) will risk starvation, but will throw stones for the nation – that’s what we need to understand,” he said.

Dr Abdullah said Jamaat-e-Islami has said that they will support me if I take concrete measures for Islam. To them I say that our very political existence and identity as a people is under threat today and this is primarily due to our cultural and religious identity which the right-wing cannot reconcile with.

He said in the midst of this atmosphere of tyranny, bigotry and brazen anti-minority communalism, we all have to come together to safeguard our identities, our religious and political rights and our cultural ethos. It is time to rise above smaller divides and differences and realize that we all have an obligation towards our people first and foremost. If we don’t join the fight against RSS today, our future generation will never forgive us”, Dr Farooq Abdullah said.

He asked people to come out and vote in large numbers – not for only an individual or a political party – but for their own dignity and honour on  April 9 and 12. This is not my personal battle or that or NC. This is a war of courage and resilience against those who want to rob us of our honour, our sense of pride and our very political existence as a brave, peace-loving people, he said adding that there will be attempts to scuttle your power to teach the PDP-BJP alliance a lesson and you have to defeat these attempts by coming out and punishing this opportunistic, evil alliance with your votes.

Every vote caste in favour of me in Srinagar and Ghulam Ahmed Mir in Anantnag will be a vote against those who have put our honour at stake”, Dr Abdullah further said.

‘Frustration’ of NC: BJP

Reacting to the remarks of Dr Abdullah that he has offer of support from Jama’at-e-Islami, BJP Wednesday said that it was National Conference then headed by late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah which waged war against Jamaat-e-Islami in April 1979 when the ex- Prime Minister of Pakistan Zufiqar Ali Bhutto was hanged.

“National Conference which was  ruling the state  under late Shiekh Mohammad Abdullah closed and banned the educational institutions run by Jamaat-e-Islami in the Valley of Kashmir. In 1987  when Rajiv–Farooq accord  took place with endorsement of Awami Action Committee, that had an alliance with National Conference  since 1983, for the first time, Congress- NC coalition was challenged by 13- party alliance under the banner of Muslim united front (MUF). 

 “People voted for MUF candidates but NC- Congress combine used all its might and rigged the assembly polls in March 1987. MUF candidates won but announcements were made in favour of the ruling party candidates of National Conference and  Congress combine. Almost all the MUF leaders and activists, including contested candidates were involved in false cases and jailed”, BJP said.

“Poll percentage had crossed 80 %  and the verdict of the people  of Kashmir was against National Conference and Congress combine.

“Within a year after  1987 assembly elections militancy erupted in Kashmir that erased  the entire fabric of traditional politics. In 1987 rigging changed the whole political  scenario in Kashmir valley.”, he said

As per CAG, J&K Govt. has continuously failed to regularise a whopping sum of Rs. 90,198.17 crore expenditure incurred  cumulatively over the period from 1980 till 2012, the statement read.  

From 1980 onwards  the National Conference  and Congress coalition  was ruling  the sate of J&K”, he said adding they are responsible for mass destruction of Kashmir and Kashmiriyat. It is the political history of National Conference that they always betrayed the emotions of the people of Kashmir in the name of religion  for their  own political needs.

He said BJP stands for positive secularism, party is  committed  to lead the state of J&K a prosperous , strong and developed state.”

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