Jammu- Asserting that Jammu and Kashmir is living under the shadow of China and Pakistan, Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DAP) chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday castigated the central government for “illegally removing” Article 370 in 2019 and said a “weak J and K” is not in the interest of the nation.
Addressing a well-attended public rally in Banihal — the hometown of Pradesh Congress Committee President Vikar Rasool Wani along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, Azad said he wants the country to prosper and move forward in the path of development, taking along Jammu and Kashmir.
“I have returned to J-K as the situation became worse here after Article 370 was removed illegally and the historic and beautiful state was bifurcated (in August 2019) by this (BJP-led) government after 75 years (of its accession to India), destroying our identity,” he said.
Azad, who resigned from the Congress in August, last year, said Article 370 was meant to benefit both the regions of Jammu and Kashmir.
After its abrogation, the changes in laws resulted in loss of business, contracts for minor minerals and growing unemployment besides the land being taken away from the possession of the occupants under the garb of anti-encroachment drive, the former J and K chief minister said.
“We are loyal to the country and want it to prosper and move forward in the path of development along J-K. If the crown (of India) is not happy or becomes weak, it is not in the interest of the nation. China on one side and Pakistan on the other, we are living under their shadow,” Azad said.
For prosperity and development of the country, he said, the J and K needs to be made prosperous and strong with its people given all benefits available to the citizens in the rest of the country and their interests safeguarded.
However, he credited the government for bringing down the graph of terrorism, ending the culture of strikes and stone-pelting, but criticised it for forcibly taking away land from the possession of the people and imposing taxes.
Questioning the policies of the central government and the Lieutenant Governor-led administration in J and K, Azad said some governments and leaders are deaf who only listen to a particular section of people and likewise some are blind who do not treat people equally.
“It will be a shame for me if any of my leader is deaf or blind. People of all religions are our own and should be heard and treated alike,” he said, lauding the party leaders for standing with the people and raising their voice during the anti-encroachment drive.
The DAP leader said he was a parliamentarian for 40 years and was straight forward in criticising the policies of the then governments.
“I have undertaken campaigns in support of the Congress across the country and spoken against the policies of the rivals but never targeted any leader.
“Even in Jammu and Kashmir, I have been vocal in criticising policies or failures of political parties but always respected the political opponents. I hate those who do not respect their elders,” he said, apparently targeting Congress president Vikar Rasool Wani who was once considered his close associate but became his strong critic after his exit from the grand old party.
Azad said he and his party workers are ready to give any sacrifice for the people.
“Some mindless people opened my eyes but I am telling my workers and supporters not to react or have a feeling of revenge for such persons,” he said, adding the entire Jammu and Kashmir is his constituency.
“I need leaders who treat everyone, irrespective of his religion or region, caste and creed, equally without restricting himself to his constituency and its people,” Azad said.
Son Saddam Says Not Interested In Fighting Polls
After joining the Democratic Azad Party (DAP) founded by his father Ghulam Nabi Azad last month, Saddam Azad on Tuesday said he is not interested in fighting elections to be an MP or an MLA but wants to work to make Jammu and Kashmir a paradise in real sense.
He said leaders like his father are needed by J&K to steer the region to prosperity and development rather than those who are speaking “too much and work less”.
“I do not have any interest in fighting elections and becoming an MP or an MLA as I do not have any liking for these (positions). I do not believe in making false promises but my desire is to work for the people of J&K and make the region a real paradise,” Saddam, 41, told reporters at the end of a public rally organized by the DAP in Banihal, the home town of Pradesh Congress Committee president Vikar Rasool Wani.
Earlier, during his address to the well-attended gathering, Ghulam Nabi Azad launched a veiled attack on Wani and said though he was not interested about his children following his footsteps into politics, Saddam and his sister Sofiya along with their cousin Mehboob decided to strengthen his hands in response to the personal attacks on him.
“I was not willing to bring my children into politics. I have treated some leaders like my own children but I was not aware that they would grow to become snakes and start biting their master. My children decided to chase such leaders,” Azad, a former Congress leader, in an apparent reference to Wani.
Introducing his children to the people along with other senior party leaders in the first major party rally in Banihal, he asked people to support his children and the party as “after my death, they will fight for your rights and will work towards eradication of ignorance and poverty.”
Saddam Azad, who did not address the gathering, said he wanted to do “something solid” for Jammu and Kashmir unlike the leaders who talk too much and work less.
“The youth of J&K is looking for a change and the next election is very important. J&K is bestowed with natural beauty but is dubbed as paradise in books only. The real paradise is where the people are happy with peace in their hearts and minds, enough employment opportunities and sources of livelihood. We all will work under the leadership of Azad to make J&K a paradise in real sense,” he said.
He said Ghulami Nabi Azad has made no big promises and he had done 10 times more than what he said about his works as chief minister of J&K.
“People know what the leaders of different parties have done over the years and let them decide the fate of the parties (in the elections). I want to tell them they should give us a chance now,” Saddam Azad said.
He said the people in Jammu and Kashmir are politically mature and “the time has gone when they used to be hoodwinked. I want to tell every other politician not to make false promises and give hope to the people who are disappointed.
“We have to remove the disappointment from the faces of the people and it is possible when we work hard and believe in ourselves to make a change. J&K needs a leader like Azad to steer the region to prosperity and development,” he said.
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