Jammu, Jan 08: “The Omar Abdullah-led government will bring an end to the decade-long development and administrative inertia perpetrated under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) directly and indirectly in Jammu and Kashmir,” National Conference (NC) Additional General Secretary and former minister, Ajay Kumar Sadhotra said on Wednesday.
Addressing a public meeting at Bhagwati Nagar here, he said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are now witnessing the dawn of an era dedicated to fulfilling their aspirations since the popular government took over.
Sadhotra and other NC leaders welcomed the new entrants and hoped that their joining will strengthen the hands of National Conference leadership, a statement issued here said.
The NC leader referred to the major initiatives taken by the Omar Abdullah-led government during the past few months, saying the party remains committed to the welfare and development of both regions and their sub-regions. He assured the people that the new government will address their grievances and steer Jammu and Kashmir toward progress and prosperity.
Slamming the BJP, he highlighted the hardships faced by the people due to the lack of basic amenities such as water and electricity, rising unemployment, and overall economic deprivation. He pointed out the snail’s pace of the much-publicised Smart City Project, calling it a “nightmare” that left citizens disillusioned”.
“People are left wondering what the Smart City Project was all about. It brought no tangible benefits, only roads and streets ruined and basic amenities receiving the main brint,” he remarked. Sadhotra accused the BJP of creating divisions among the people in the name of religion and region, adding they had no substantial agenda to offer.
“The BJP stands exposed for its anti-people and anti-Jammu & Kashmir policies,” he said. He decried political forces engaged in furthering communal and caste politics, saying this is against the essence of a pluralistic state like Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking on the occasion, former minister and senior NC leader, Abdul Gani Malik cautioned the people against divisive forces and urged them to stand against them for safeguarding the secular foundations of the state.
Malik said the existence of National Conference is due to its secular credentials and the cherished slogan of “Sher-e-Kashmir” Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah “Hindu Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian Unity” will always remain a guiding force for the party.
MLA Gool Gulabgarh Choudhary Khursheed Ahmed also addressed the public meeting and exhorted the cadre to strengthen the hands of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to steer Jammu and Kashmir toward progress new era of peace, progress and stability.
