Dooru (Anantnag): Hitting out at rivals NC, PDP and BJP for “polarisation” of politics in Jammu and Kashmir, Congress leader Gulam Nabi Azad on Friday asked they put an end to it as people want progress, development and the youth dream of bright careers.
“J&K has seen enough of polarisation politics being carried out by BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), PDP (People’s Democratic Party) and NC (National Conference). Let’s now call off this business of polarisation, as people of the State want to progress; youth want to have bright careers”, he said at a massive public rally here.
Azad, who was campaigning for Congress Minister and two- term MLA Gulam Ahmed Mir from here said: “We have to make our state a modern, progressive and prosperous state of the country. The inclusive agenda propagated by Congress Party alone can bridge the divide”.
“Enough is enough. Lets rebuff this polarisation business to chart on a new path of peace, progress and prosperity”, he said.
Mir, who has won Dooru Assembly seat in 2002 and 2008 and was a minister in both Mufti Sayeed led government in 2002 and Omar Abdullah government in 2009, is seeking a third term from the same seat.
Flanked by J&K Congress Chief Saifuddin Soz and G A Mir, Azad said that the regional parties neither have vision and agenda to address the day-to-day issues faced by the common man, nor have the will and credentials to deliver on the promises of governance and development, and therefore, are compelled to divert the attention of the people by raking up emotional, divisive and polarising issues.
Urging people not to get befooled by the sterile rhetoric of regional parties, Azad said that Congress has the capacity and will to script a new chapter of progress and prosperity in the state due to its inclusive agenda and pan- J&K presence.
Azad said that regional parties represent a narrow, exclusionist and sectarian agenda, antithetical to the ethno- cultural diversity and pluralistic ethos of the state, while Congress can accommodate the urges and aspirations of all regions and sections, and therefore, is most suited to take forward the process of equitable and balanced development.
Questioning the credentials of the regional parties to fight the divisive agenda of BJP, Azad said that it is an apt case of “square peg in a round hole”, for they are the one who give grist to the polarisising agenda of communal forces’ mill in the state.
“Communal forces have been buttressed by the regional parties by their narrow and divisive politics for exploiting the sentiments of the people to sustain themselves in power, and they are the ones who are responsible for keeping the State on a powder-keg all the time”, said Azad.
Asserting that Congress-led government will take up the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the flood-ravaged state in a mission mode, he said if voted to power, his party will take immediate steps to alleviate the sufferings of the flood- affected people.
The leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha emphasised that in view of its proven credentials in the rehabilitation and reconstruction work, only a Congress-led government will be in the interest of the state at this juncture.
He said that if people show confidence in his party, immediate steps will be taken to revive the flood-ravaged economy, rehabilitate the affected people and reconstruct the battered infrastructure like roads, hospitals, schools, colleges, power distribution network, drinking water systems.
“We will work on war footing basis to ameliorate the sufferings of flood affected people, like we did during 2005 earthquake”, said Azad.
Azad called upon the enlightened citizens to ponder and introspect about the future of the State as well as its youth, and accordingly make concerted efforts to create a new narrative of harmony and amity, as the goals of the progress the state will be impeded by persistent tension and disunity.
Seeking support of the people in this endeavour, Azad said that if people of the state repose confidence in Congress Party, the sloth and inertia of past six years will be shed in a few months time and once again, Jammu & Kashmir will be kicking on the path of advancement and progress with thrust on equitable allocation of resources.
Making a fervent appeal to the people in general and enlightened gentry in particular, he said that the challenge of scripting a bright future for the people of the state is not an easy one, and to measure upto it, it is the duty of all the citizens to elect a credible and responsible government at this crucial juncture.
“Congress is asking for a decisive mandate on the plank of development and good governance, and not on the basis of hollow slogans and emotional blackmail”,he said. (PTI)
