Srinagar, Feb 07 (KNS): National Conference today expressed deep anguish and concern over slapping of Public Safety Act on two former chief ministers including Omar Abdullah and other mainstream leaders, describing it as most disturbing, unfortunate and highly condemnable.
In a statement issued to KNS here, senior leaders said the stringent measure against the senior party leadership is shocking especially in view of its huge contribution in ensuring peace and harmony, braving numerous odds. They recalled the fervent appeal made by Mr Omar Abdullah minutes before his detention on August 4, 2019 midnight, urging people to maintain peace and calm at all costs for larger interest of the people. "How could leaders with such a vision and statesmanship be threat to peace, who have remained in the forefront to promote harmony and brotherhood", the statement asked, terming the latest move as imposition of PSA on the entire mainstream political ideology of Jammu and Kashmir.
Referring to the slapping of PSA on Dr Farooq Abdullah earlier and its another three month extension, the National Conference leaders said the continued detention of a five time former Chief Minister and Union Minister is sad and unfortunate, especially in view of his immense contribution towards nation building and sustaining peace, amity, harmony, democracy, progress and development of Jammu and Kashmir during most testing times. This is to undermine his huge contribution in nation building belittling his internationally acclaimed political stature. It recalled the observations of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee as leader of the Indian delegation in the UN, describing Dr Abdullah as a towering patriot, as also his immense affection for Mr Omar Abdullah and said the harsh move made last evening is biggest setback to democratic polity apart from downplaying the contribution of towering leaders who stood tall in most turbulent situations.
They said the detained party stalwarts are representing democratic ethos and its values sustained by National Conference over decades by weathering storms during turbulent situations. They also referred to the cherished political philosophy of the party and said it led J&K to reject the two-nation theory of Mohammed Ali Jinnah and tie its destiny with secular, democratic India.
The statement urged the Centre to review the decision of stringent PSA on mainstream leaders and released all those detained unconditionally.
Besides Provincial President Devender Singh Rana, those who were present in the meeting included Ajay Kumar Sadhotra,Surjeet Singh Salathia, Rattan Lal Gupta, Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, Sheikh Bashir Ahmed, Rachpal Singh, Th. Kashmira Singh, Khalid Najeeb Suharwardy, Abdul Gani Malik, Javeed Rana, Babu Rampal, Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo, Jagjeevan Lal, Qazi Jalal Ud Din, Sheikh Abdul Rahman, Dr. Chamanl Lal Bhagat, T.S Wazir, Ajaz Jan, Haji Mohd Hussain, Bimla Luthra, Satwant Kour Dogra, Prem Sagar Aziz, Brij Mohan Sharma, Bushan Lal Bhat, Ch. Rahim Daad, Master Noor Hussain, Deepender Kour, Vijay Lochan, , Abdul Gani Teli, Jugal Mahajan, Ch. Haroon, Mohinder Singh, Anil Dhar, Bashir Ahmed Wani, Gurdeep Singh Sasan, Vipan Pal Sharma, Ch. Liaquat Ali, Dr. Kamal Arora, Dr. Gagan Bhagat, Ch. Mohammad Shafi, Vijay Laxami Dutta, Swaran Latta, Dharamveer Singh Jamwal, Pardeep Bali, Reeta Gupta, Tanveer Ahmed Kichloo, Sajjad Shaheen, Tarshem Khullar, Ch. Nazir Hussain, Ch. Wali Daad, Ch. Arshad, Rajesh Bakashi, Subash Chander Sharma, S.S Bunty, G.H Malik, Israr Khan, S. Sucha Singh, Ashok Singh Manhas, Nar Singh, Rashida Begum, Daljeet Sharma, Iftkhair Choudhary and Som Raj Taroch. (KNS).