Srinagar  Aug 07 (KNS): Former legislator and senior PC leader Nizamuddin Bhat has appealed people to throw their weight behind Peoples Conference and help it to emerge politically formidable enough to meet the insurmountable challenges ahead.

He made these comments while addressing a gathering of senior workers at Matrigam. BDC Bashir Ahmad Baba and Sarpanchs Mushtaq Ahmad and Mohd Hussain were also present.

Holding New Delhi responsible for disempowering people of Jammu , Kashmir and Ladakh, Bhat said the erstwhile state has been stripped off its identity and people have been hurt and humiliated.

He said it is an irony that post partition Jammu and Kashmir turned into a conflict zone which continues to claim the cost of the paradise and its masses.

He added that it is unfortunate that unity moves to stand in resistance against Delhi ‘s onslaughts were thwarted by leaders of the times failing its own people .

"While in 1987 democracy was slaughtered and peoples’ mandate was subverted by NC - Congress coalition, in 1996 same parties undermined sacrifices and sufferings in lieu of return to power", he added

He further stated that similar events in the past, at cruicial junctures of our chequered history, where hunger for power and collaboration with New Delhi helped the latter to fulfil the designs of subjugation of the aspirants of liberty and honour. In the presence of amenability to manouvering, Delhi continued to strangulate people of J&K politically and culturally till it brought the state finally down into shambles in 2019.

"NC and PDP are the two regional parties who should be honest to admit to their failures and weaknesses which emboldened New Delhi in the ongoing impasse. They failed miserably to prevent state's devastation despite massive mandates. It is high time that people make a dispassionate assessment only to regain their own power to decide or they will face further decline and disempowerment", he added.

On the ocassion, prominent local Advocate Sameer Ahmad Baig along with five other respectable personalities from the area pledged their support to PC.

While welcoming them into the fold, he maintained that since Peoples Conference has not been part of any major decision which decided our fate and was never given a sizeable mandate, it deserves a chance.

"Peoples Confernce has a history of sacrifices on record to claim a chance to lead people to peace and come out from the entangling imbroglio. The party has the required cadre who have gone through thick and thin and as such the party can be trusted to be strengthened as a much needed cushion. That is how people can face central arrogance and their tendency to usurp", he added.

Bhat further said that people are the ultimate source to prevail and they have lessons to be drawn from their amenability to misuse and blackmail.

He hoped that now when people have tried and tested everyone, it will be wiser on their part to be on guard against deceptive politics in future.

He also maintained that youth has their fate at stake and will have to be more cautious for their own good. (KNS)