Srinagar Sept 21 (KNS): The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Thursday expressed that the level of disappointment among the residents of Jammu and Kashmir with the current LG administration has reached unprecedented heights.
According to a statement issued to KNS, he said this while addressing a massive one-day party workers convention at Handwara. The convention was convened and organized by Senior party leader and former Minister Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan. The convention was attended by Party Treasurer Shammi Oberoi, Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani, Political Advisor Mudassar Shahmiri, North Zone President Javed Dar, Senior Leaders Sharifuddin Shariq, Mir Saifullah, District president Kupwara Qaiser Jamshed Lone, Provincial Secretary Showkat Mir, Shafqat Watali, Deen Muhammad Cheetah, Ghulam Nabi Bhat, youth leader Zahid Mughal, DDC members, block presidents and other party functionaries of district Kupwara.
Calling out the policies of the incumbent government Omar said that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is different now, people are unhappy and disappointed in every region, youth are angry, chaos is everywhere, inflation is touching new heights. “On the other hand, LG claims that 80 percent people are happy with him and they do not want assembly elections to be held.”
Addressing the convention, Omar Abdullah said, “Unemployment has broken all records. One day the recruitment process takes place, the second day it is cancelled and the third day the inquiry is started. People have been left to fend for themselves with skyrocketing prices of edibles, gas, and other essential items. Electricity meters are also a strange spectacle, first digital meters were installed and it was said that nothing better could be done than this and now smart meters are being installed. The condition of ration is also very different. During our times, 11 kg ration was provided per person and an additional quota was provided at 15 rupees per kg, but now it is difficult to get 5 kg and an additional quota has been kept, but its price has been kept at 25 rupees per kg. It is higher than the market prices.”
Expressing great concern over the plight of horticulturists, Omar Abdullah said, “It is now known what compelled the central government to remove the tax on American apples and walnuts. The Prime Minister wanted to invite the American President as a special guest on the 26th January ceremony. They made sure that apples, walnuts and dry fruits will come from America while our own apples, walnuts and dry fruits will rot in the markets.”
To those who continue to oppose the J&K National Conference, Omar Abdullah said that the colour of the flag of the National Conference is red because of the sacrifices and warm blood of the dedicated leaders, officials and workers of this party. “We are not among those who, seeing the situation, hoisted the flag of another country and encouraged the youth to pick up guns and are sitting in the Raj Bhavan today,” he said adding, “I want to ask the person who calls our organization a group of killers, what were you doing together with us until yesterday? Is your faith so weak that for the benefit of a few seats you joined the murderers and got away with forming a few DDCs? He didn't see evil in us then. The fact is that no one else will have a greater role in destroying this state than them. It is always our effort not to mislead people, since the days of Sher-e-Kashmir, our organization has not shown false and deceptive dreams to people.”
Omar said, “In the beginning, on the issue of Article 370, some people used to tell us that why are you sitting silently, why are you not protesting on the streets, but we said clearly at that time that we will not take the path of protest, we will follow the law and we will fight our war according to the constitution, it does not take time for the situation to deteriorate here, it does not take time to open fire here, we will not give stones in the hands of the youth here, we will fight our fight peacefully constitutionally and legally and we will fight for justice. Many people who earlier stayed away from the Supreme Court in this matter and said that nothing is going to be found here and even said that those who talk about Article 370 are deceiving the people, they also wanted to take a picture with our lawyers. One organization even begged the Chief Justice to give them 5 minutes, just to show that we are also fighting the war of Article 370.”
He said that we live up to the promises made by the National Conference to the people. “Now we can hope for justice and pray that Allah Ta'ala will give us success and the court will give the same decision that will preserve our recognition, honor, dignity and distinction,” he said.
Earlier, National Conference President Omar Abdullah had an interactive session with a group of lawyers and workers associated with the youth wing of the party at the residence of Chaudhary Muhammad Ramzan.(KNS)