Srinagar, July 01 (KNS): The People's Conference chief, Sajad Gani Lone Thursday said that all the leaders especially from Kashmir region reflected the pain of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in a befitting manner during the all-party meeting, which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on June 24.
Addressing a press conference here, Sajad Lone said they recently attended the APM chaired by the Prime Minister and given this engagement is an ongoing process and the propriety demands that they cannot totally divulge in detail of what we said.
"But all we can say is that we welcome the meeting. It was held after more than two years of upheaval. The leadership demanded that we should look towards the future for a bright tomorrow rather than something in the recent past which we don't agree with. We hope it starts a phase of reconciliation between Delhi and Srinagar," he said.
He said that he doesn't think there was any single leader who did not make their people proud. "All parties especially from Kashmir region made their people proud. All spoke well and reflected the pain of the people. I as a Kashmiri and not as a political leader felt proud that all leaders spoke for the people of Kashmir and reflected their pain in a befitting manner. If I were to give marks, I would give equal marks to all Kashmiri leaders present in the meeting. I pay my respects to all the leaders over there," he said.
Lone said that as on date there are no winners and losers. "It is a long process. And we have to make an enabling environment for facilitating delivery, and that cannot be done by rhetoric. Let us not by our rhetoric create hurdles. And if delivery becomes difficult there is only one loser, which are the people of Kashmir."
Lone also said that there is a need to understand that boycotting elections has yielded no results. “We should look at the other side as well as keeping away the opponents could be a trap. We have boycotted elections for 15-20 years, what if it is a trap to scare away all the good people and bring in their proxies? Look at the other point of view, if the opponents create conditions for you not to enter the fray, think for a moment, it might be a trap.”
He said that the leadership would have to look at both the sides.
“I will not say that I will boycott the elections and the party will contest. We are all equal. I am not more moral than them. I'm not superior to them. If something is forbidden for me it is forbidden for them too,” Lone said.
He said that there is need to understand that by rousing and rhetorical statements they may be able to address their constituents but then that may make delivery difficult. (KNS)