Srinagar, Nov 1 (KNS): National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the BJP and RSS over what he described as the repeated questioning of Muslim patriotism, asserting that Muslims had sacrificed their blood for India and would continue to stand for the country's unity and integrity.
Addressing a gathering at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi in the presence of senior opposition leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Abdullah said no community should be forced to repeatedly prove its loyalty to the nation.
“These people always point fingers at Muslims and call them Pakistanis. I want to tell the BJP and RSS that we have given our blood for this country. We gave our blood yesterday, we are giving it today and we will give it tomorrow as well,” Abdullah said.
The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said Muslims wanted to live in India and contribute to making the country stronger, rejecting attempts to question their patriotism on religious grounds.
“We want to live in this country and strengthen this country,” he asserted.
Turning his attention to the Election Commission, Abdullah accused it of undermining the democratic rights of citizens through the alleged deletion of names from electoral rolls.
Referring to remarks made by Akhilesh Yadav, the NC president claimed that more than one crore Hindu voters had been removed from electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh and questioned whether they, too, would be branded Pakistanis.
“You have removed more than one crore Hindus from the voting lists in Uttar Pradesh. Are they also Pakistanis?” Abdullah asked, challenging what he described as the selective targeting of communities.
The allegation concerning voter deletions was made by Abdullah during his speech and could not be independently verified.
He said the time had come for Indians, irrespective of religion, to stand together against attempts to divide society and undermine their constitutional rights.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
“Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis are all Indians. They will live as Indians and die as Indians,” Abdullah said.
Invoking B R Ambedkar, Abdullah said the Constitution guaranteed equal rights to every citizen, including the right to vote, and warned against any attempt to deprive people of that fundamental democratic entitlement.
“This is Ambedkar's Constitution. This is India's Constitution. We are all equal under it, and every one of us has an equal right to vote,” he said.
He called upon opposition parties and citizens to collectively resist any attempt to disenfranchise voters, saying the strength of democracy rested with the people rather than those occupying positions of power.
“The power is with the people. Use that power, strengthen it and tell those who are supporting them that they are on the wrong path,” Abdullah said.
The NC president urged people not to fear those in authority, asserting that governments and political leaders would come and go, but the ultimate authority in a democracy belonged to its citizens.
He also appealed for national unity, saying India could not become a strong and prosperous nation if any community or section of society was left behind.
“If you want to save India, everyone has to work together to take the country forward. If any section is left behind in development, India cannot become strong,” he said.
In a categorical assertion on Jammu and Kashmir's relationship with the country, Abdullah said the region's identity as part of India was permanent and could not be altered.
“Jammu and Kashmir was part of India before, it is part of India today and it will remain part of India tomorrow. Nobody can change that,” he declared.
Abdullah concluded his address by raising slogans of “Jai Hind”, asking the gathering to join him in reaffirming their commitment to the country. (KNS)