National Conference MLA bats for dialogue with Pakistan to end ‘bloodshed’ in J&K

Jammu, Mar 5 (PTI) National Conference MLA Ali Mohd Sagar on Wednesday advocated a dialogue with Pakistan to end “bloodshed” in Jammu and Kashmir, saying “the silence of graveyards should not be construed as peace”.

Participating in discussions on the motion of thanks to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s address in the assembly, Sagar launched a scathing attack on the BJP, and asked the Centre to restore statehood to the Union Territory by accepting the reality that people have given a decisive mandate to the National Conference (NC).

“Whenever Dr Sahib (National Conference President Farooq Abdullah) highlights the need for talks with Pakistan, the BJP gets irked… There’s is no doubt that Pakistan is a failed state but you have to take them on board to end the bloodshed in Kashmir,” Sagar, a former minister and seven-time MLA, said.

A “silence of graveyard” has been established in Kashmir, which is harmful for the long run, he claimed.

“The BJP is still not ready to accept the reality that the National Conference has formed the government (in Jammu and Kashmir) with a popular mandate. It is trying to mislead the public by claiming that they got the highest vote share,” Sagar said.

“The people of Jammu and Kashmir gave a thumping mandate to this government, which is the voice of the people. It will fulfil all its commitments in coming time,” said the veteran politician, a five-time sitting NC MLA from Khanyar in Srinagar district.

The BJP could not field its candidates for the assembly elections in Kashmir because it gathered “Ikhwanis” (surrendered terrorists who later worked for security forces) under its banner, who were all tainted and couldn’t win elections for the party, he claimed.

The NC faced bullets as hundreds of its workers and leaders got killed since the beginning of militancy in J-K, he added.

Responding to Sagar’s remarks, BJP’s Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said NC owes an explanation (to the people) as when its autonomy resolution was rejected in 2000, Omar Abdullah was part of the BJP-led central government.

Sharma also claimed that it was the National Conference which gave its mandate to Javid Shah, a terrorist-turned-counter insurgent from Bandipora, in 2002, while Farooq Abdullah shared the stage with Ikhwan commander and former MLA Kuka Parray.

Both Shah and Parray were killed by terrorists in separate attacks within a month in 2003.

Initiating the debate, BJP member Surjit Singh Slathia said that people elected them to solve their problems and “we have a responsibility to live up to their expectations”.

Abrogation of Article 370 has brought a new dawn of development in Jammu and Kashmir, Slathia said.

“We do not doubt Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s intentions and we do understand that the government is in its nascent stage. So we hope they will fulfil all the promises made to the people of J-K,” the BJP leader said.

Talking about unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir, NC’s Ghulam Mohiuddin Mir said that concrete steps have to be taken for creating job opportunities for the people.

BJP member and former minister Rajeev Jasrotia reminded the NC government of the promises made in its manifesto, which were supposed to be fulfilled within the first three months of the government assuming charge.

Jasrotia also said that “we will work as a respectable opposition for the welfare of the people”.

Irfan Hafeez Lone of the Congress said it is good that the government is committed to the restoration of statehood (to J-K).

“I hope that Omar Abdullah will live up to this expectation of the people. When we are on the same page, we should take a united stand for the restoration of statehood,” Lone said.