Srinagar, May 11: People’s Conference President Sajad Gani Lone, contesting the parliamentary elections from the Baramulla parliamentary constituency, on Saturday said there should be no delay in restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking to the media person in Beewrah, Budgam, Lone said, “People’s Conference is against the abrogation of Article 370, and we are the first political party of Jammu and Kashmir to file a PIL in the Supreme Court.”
He remarked that the three parliament members cannot bring it back as there are no more seats from Kashmir. “Now, the question is how we will bring this back. For this, a constitutional roadmap must be prepared. I am hopeful that not today, but someday, it will be restored,” he added.
Lashing out at the National Conference, Sajad said their hands are full of the innocent blood of Kashmiris. He said, “Farooq Abdullah is the first famous Muslim leader who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the National Conference that remained in power for 40 years. What they have done in the past must be questioned.”
He also alleged that former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah is free from jail at the mercy of the BJP. “He (Farooq) is helping them.”
Lone added, “(NC Vice President) Omar Abdullah served as the youngest foreign minister in Vajpayee’s tenure. Why wasn’t the BJP bad at that time? Now, they are not accommodating him, which makes them bad BJP.”
In his address, Lone highlighted the need for positive change, urging voters to cast their ballots in favour of the “Apple” symbol, representing growth, prosperity, and the collective identity of Kashmiris. “I assure you that every vote cast in my favour will fill you with pride,” he said, contrasting with the regret many feel for supporting Omar Abdullah.
“His inward-looking approach stands in stark contrast to the aspirations of Kashmiris, who share an unfortunate history of oppression and suffering under NC’s rule,” he added.
Expressing disappointment over the NC’s track record, the PC Chief lamented the party’s consistent failure to deliver significant developmental projects for public welfare. “This level of apathy and shamelessness is astounding,” he said, adding, “Despite repeated failures to fulfill the public mandate, Omar has the audacity to seek votes. He has lost credibility among the very people he once oppressed so cunningly. His propaganda against me and my party is as feeble as a cobweb, destined to be shattered by the votes of my beloved constituents.”
Sajad lamented that due to NC’s alleged mass rigging in 1987, the gun culture erupted in Kashmir. “If they had not engaged in electoral theft then, thousands of our people would not have died,” he said.
PC decries EC notice
The Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference (JKPC) on Saturday expressed its “deep concern” and “disappointment” over the recent notice served by the Election Commission targeting a song shared by its President Sajad Gani Lone on Twitter.
“The video in question is not an official song of the party but a creation by Kashmiri youth. It embodies the heartfelt sentiments of the Kashmiri people, vividly portraying the enduring pain and suffering experienced in the region over decades. We firmly believe that sharing such a song, which reflects the painful history of the region, should not be seen as a violation of electoral norms,” the PC Spokesperson Adnan Ashraf Mir said in a statement issued here.
He said the Election Commission should apply the rules uniformly and desist from “selective scrutiny”. Fairness and equality are indispensable in preserving the integrity of the electoral process, he said.
“It is disconcerting to observe a pattern where the Election Commission singles out our party for scrutiny while displaying leniency towards others. We firmly assert that mistakes of the past, such as those in 1987, characterized by biased approaches of the administration, should not be repeated. A level playing field must be extended to all political entities without prejudice,” the spokesperson said. “The Election Commission must avoid disparate treatment of political parties. Rules applied to JKPC should be uniformly applied to all political entities, including the NC.”
