Srinagar/Jammu, Mar 10 (KNS): Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Dr. Farooq Abdullah on Sunday asserted that the critical situation the country is facing demands all of us to work in unity to trounce the forces as are bent to divide the country on religious, regional and sectarian lines.
Party President while addressing a meet of party functionaries and workers at his Jammu residence said, “There are forces in the country as are contriving to vitiate the atmosphere of the nation for petty electoral gains. We are facing a time when the importance of national unity and inter-religious harmony has increased. In today’s world harmony and unity are indispensable for achieving much anticipated development goals,” adding, “Particularly in a country like India, it becomes imperative for all of us to work positively towards trouncing such forces as are hell bent to destroy our pluralistic ethos that has always been the hall mark of India.”
Dr. Farooq while addressing the gathering said that Constitution of India is a social document that confers upon its citizenry some basic unbridgeable rights. “The founding fathers of our nation were well aware of the complexities that characterize the Indian society. However, there are forces that have all along shown contempt for the ideals enshrined in the constitution of India; we have to make it a point to trounce such forces in the forthcoming general elections,” he said.
On the occasion former chief engineer Abdul Hameed Sheikh joined J&K National Conference. While welcoming new entrants into the party he said, “I am hopeful that Hameed sb will work towards making the party stronger at grass roots. Party will definitely benefit from the administrative acumen of Hameed Sahib,” adding, “National Conference right from its inception has given voice to the voiceless. We have a legacy of service and sacrifice.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelWe will continue to strive for the restoration of autonomy. Our state is a peculiar state with its own set of problems and issues, and it is the autonomy only that can satiate the development needs of all the regions of our state. Besides that the move of granting autonomy will go a long way in cleaning the cobwebs of mistrust between New Delhi and Srinagar.”
The new entrant into the party vowed to make party stronger at grass roots to further the cause of principles of Sher-e- Kashmir.
Among others senior party functionaries Rattan Lal Gupta, Haji Sheikh Bashir Ahmad, Ex-MLC Haji Muhammad sultan Wani, Bimla Luthra, Pradeep Bali, Reyaz Malik, Haroon Choudhary and other YNC functionaries were also present on the occasion.
In another function at Iqbal Colony Rawalpura, Srinagar party president while addressing the people said, “The Qur’an speaks about the basic dignity of all human beings regardless of their race, color, language or ethnicity. The religion of Islam recognizes the right to life, property, family, honor and conscience of all people. From the very beginning, freedom of religion has been guaranteed by Islam. It prohibits coercion in matters of faith and belief,” adding, “Tolerance has always been the essential ingredient in the social life of Kashmir. The people of Kashmir have never allowed bigotry and communal frenzy overwhelm them in most of the trying times.”
On the occasion Dr. Farooq Abdullah extended condolences to the grief- stricken family of late Syed Farooq Ahmad Qadri. Party president participated in a Majlis of Fatiha Khwani for the departed soul. He prayed for peace to the soul of departed and strength to the grieved family members. On the occasion party president also paid tributes to noted Islamic scholar Imam Khatib Ziyarat Shareef Pir Dastagir Khanyar, Syed Nur ud din Qadri. (KNS)