Srinagar, Mar 11 (KNS): J&K National Conference (NC) on Wednesday welcomed the demand made by the prime opposition parties to the center for the release of detainees including three former chief ministers - Dr Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and others.

According to Kashmir News Service (KNS), NC leaders including provincial secretary Advocate Showkat Ahmad Mir, party spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar, district president Srinagar Peer Afaq Ahmad, women wing provincial president Er Sabiya Qadri, and others addressed a joint presser at party headquarters Nawa-e-Subh here and asserted that the party welcomes the concern shown by country’s prime opposition leaders including Sharad Pawar, Mamta Banerjee, H D Deve Gowda, D Raja, Manoj Jha, Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shorie over the continuous detention revealed how deeply troubled the saner voices of the country are following the protracted confinement of tallest political voices of J&K.

“We welcome the move, it is good to hear saner voices come forward and seek the resumption of political activities and release of all incarcerated leaders and activists. We too have been concurring the same sentiment that it does not serve any purpose to have biggest political personalities like Dr Farooq Abdullah and other former legislature and former chief ministers away from their people. It will only fester alienation and decrease the faith of people in democracy. We hope the incumbent dispensation will heed the demand of the opposition and release all the detainees’ forthwith to end nightmarish phase which the democracy in J&K is going through at present,” NC leaders said.

Party provincial secretary Showkat Ahmad Mir while speaking to media said the present dispensation is busy crowding-out the genuine political representative voices of J&K. “On one hand we see how the present government is aflame with revenge and on the other hand we see how all the grass root level parties are being sidelined to make way for Delhi’s own party. It can safely be assumed that New Delhi wants to obliterate genuine political voices in order to give ditch to the real political aspiration of the people. The trimming of Sher-e-Kashmir’s name from important landmarks should not be seen in isolation. It is part of a bigger game to sideline real political voices of J&K. However such measures cannot belittle the immense contribution of Sher-e-Kashmir,” he said.

Party’s spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said the party workers, functionaries and common people feel disheartened with such steps as trimming of Sher-e-Kashmir’s name from important landmarks and icons. “Imprudent steps however do not deter us from the trail which Sher-e-Kashmir has left behind. On the contrary such measures reveal the contempt the present government nurtures for the political titans like Sheikh Sahib, whose struggle was shorn of all biases and prejudices. What is being done is not against a person it is a sneer on the historical struggle of people of J&K. The christening of names of important icons and landmarks was done as a mark of acknowledgement and appreciation of Sheikh Sahib’s long drawn struggle for the upliftment of poor and downtrodden irrespective of region or religion. The people of J&K had collectively through their representatives via legislature as a mark of respect baptized important landmarks after Sher-e-Kashmir. Dimwitted steps like these won’t rub out his deep impression on the politico-socio-economic landscape of J&K. The move is disrespectful to the collective will of people, their history, and their heroes,” he said. (KNS)