Jammu, Jan 27 (KNS): Democracy is core of National Conference and being inheritors of Baba-e-Quom Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s glorious legacy we have to strengthen it at every level said Mr Ali Mohammad Sagar General Secretary J&K National Conference while addressing senior party leaders including District Presidents of Jammu Province at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here this afternoon.
In a statement to KNS, Sagar said that a vibrant and strong National Conference is answer to all the challenges confronted to the state and exuded confidence that grass roots level functionaries will rise to the occasion and meet the aspirations of the people by seeking redressal to their grievances at all the administrative levels. “The ongoing mass contact drive by the party leaders and workers is required to be further intensified in view of political uncertainty unfolded by the indecision of PDP-BJP coalition”, he said and hoped that the duo will take a call as delay in the formation of the government is not in the larger interest of the state.
The General Secretary said that National Conference will play its designated role as main opposition and strive for steering out the state from present morass. He said there can be no alternative to democratically elected government and those mandated to run the affairs of the state should not shirk their responsibilities. “They are accountable to the people, who cannot be left in lurch because of the compulsions of those voted to power”, he maintained.
Sagar also expressed satisfaction over the functioning of various reconstituted wings of the party like Women Wing, Youth National Conference and other Cells, saying a momentum has gained across the province as elsewhere in the state.
Addressing the functionaries, Additional General Secretary Dr Sheikh Mustaf Kamal enumerated the huge role played by National Conference during different spells of governance in changing the economic and developmental landscape of the three regions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh whenever voted to power by the people.
Dr Kamal said that public service and equitable development has been the sole motivation of National Conference, which never allowed instability and fought all odds with active support and cooperation of the people. He regretted over the current political stalemate and hoped the era of uncertainty will end soon.
Dwelling on the ongoing membership drive, Provincial President Devender Singh Rana said that enrolment of 7.50 lakh members in the Jammu Province shall be completed by mid February. He lauded the enthusiasm among people in making the membership drive a huge success.
Rana said 7,50,000 membership has been distributed in Jammu and the drive will be completed by 15th February,2016.
He Rana said that National Conference is a force to reckon with and being secular by core it is the only party that can keep three distinct regions of the state united.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
“We have to survive and flourish as a secular party, as envisioned by Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah”, he said while urging the party functionaries to play their useful role in isolating divisive forces that were hell bent on taking the centre-stage by polarising the society.
Referring to the prevailing political uncertainty, Rana said that National Conference wants the mandate of the people to be respected but at the same time urged the party functionaries to be ready for any political eventuality. “As political workers, we must all always remain in vibrant mode to face the people”, he added.
Sr Vice President and former Surjeet Singh Slathia lauded the courage of the party workers in meeting challenges and said time has come when the basic district and block level units have to become more vibrant and pro-active in carrying forward the policies and programmes to the people.
Slathia said National Conference is the only visible face in all the three regions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and this party alone can satiate their urges and aspirations.
Invoking secular credentials of National Conference, former minister, Ajay Kumar Sadhotra said that the party will continue to play its crucial role in fighting the elements which base their politics on hate,
“Despite having been voted out of power, National Conference continues to be in the hearts of people”, he added.
Former minister Abdul Gani Malik said that National Conference represents glorious ethos of the state, as it does not discriminate among the people on the basis of region, religion or caste.
Former Deputy Chairman Legislative Council and MLA Javed Rana emphasised the need for larger interaction at various levels to make the party vibrant in order to meet the challenges unfolded by the situation.
State Vice President Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari described the response of the people in membership drive as encouraging as also challenging and exuded confidence that given the leadership at various levels, the party will meet the expectations and aspirations of the people with fortitude.
State Vice President Rattan Lal Gupta said the people were realizing the futility of voting such forces to power which gave nothing but plunged the state into a real mess due to indecision.
State Vice President Th Kashmira Singh stressed the need for reactivating all the grass roots level units to meet the challenges ahead of the state.
State Secretary Th Rachpal Singh, former minister Babu Jagjeevan Lal, Sajjad Shaheen and Shaffayat Khan also spoke on the occasion.
Prominent among those present in the meeting besides District Presidents included Provincial Secretary Sheikh Bashir, Provincial Youth National Conference President, Ajaz Jan, former minister Ram Pal, Ch Haroon, President Provincial Women Wing Satwant Kour and others. (KNS)