Srinagar, May 23: Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thursday said that during his tenure as the chief minister, there were almost no fake encounters.
Addressing the people on the concluding day of the campaign in Dooru, Anantnag, Azad recounted an incident where a deputation claimed that individuals presented as militants were actually innocent labourers. “I immediately ordered an inquiry, confirmed their innocence and had the responsible officers jailed,” he said.
He criticised the current trend of youth being “unjustly” detained, vowing that under his leadership, no civilian will face false allegations or charges. “In my government, I ensured justice to people, irrespective of caste or religion. Our youth, especially girls, should be able to move freely. Today I received many complaints that police are picking up innocent civilians; this must stop. You are further alienating them. In my government, youth will be given the full freedom to live their lives. This drug menace has harmed our society, and we will ensure better education and jobs,” he said.
The former chief minister criticised the National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for their silence on critical issues such as Article 370 during parliamentary sessions. He said that the three MPs from these parties failed to speak up when he protested in parliament, showcasing a troubling pattern of inaction. “They are deceiving the people,” Azad declared. “They remained silent even on the land eviction order when the government attempted to bulldoze houses and seize land. It was our intervention that halted the government’s actions.”
The DPAP chief also accused NC leaders of using religion and caste to divide the population. “At the national level, a party tried to split Hindus and Muslims. Now, these parties are attempting to divide Pahari, Kashmiri, and Gujjars. How can an MP do justice to other communities when they campaign and speak against each other?”
He warned of the dangers of such divisive politics, stressing the importance of unity in Jammu and Kashmir. “This style of politics is harmful and damaging for the people of J&K. We must unite and work for everyone. Our focus should be on bringing people together, not creating divisions.”
Azad said there was a lack of development during the periods when the government was primarily run by NC and other parties. “I had only two and a half years in power, during which I initiated significant projects and reforms. They did no development but only exploited people with slogans of self-rule and autonomy, which they eventually forgot. They did no justice to the poor,” he said.
The former union minister assured the public that if he returns to power, he will focus on eradicating poverty and unemployment.
