SRINAGAR: Opposition National Conference (NC) on Sunday slammed Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed for remaining “silent” over inflammatory and radical statements on contentious issues by BJP leaders, and accused the saffron party of not having an agenda for governance.
The NC also termed the ruling PDP as “Trojan Horse” and accused it for BJP’s advent in Jammu and Kashmir saying it did not auger well for the State’s political interests and welfare.
“BJP’s agenda in J and K is anything but governance. The right-wing party’s advent into J and K through PDP – its Trojan Horse, does not auger well for the State’s political interests and welfare,” National Conference said in a statement after day-long convention in Pulwama District.
NC General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar lashed out at BJP for issuing inflammatory and radical statements that are full of contempt and disdain towards the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“BJP’s statements through its senior leaders and spokespersons on sensitive issues like AFSPA, Article 370 and the issues of talks with Hurriyat Conference are full of communal disdain and contempt.
“While the party, in connivance with PDP pretended to have shelved its longstanding agenda of abrogating Article 370 during the Assembly polls, BJP National Spokesperson Sambit Patra has recently stated unequivocally that BJP remains committed to the abrogation of Article 370,” Sagar said.
Lashing out at Sayeed for maintaining silence over the statement’s made by the BJP leaders, Sagar said “What is even more tragic is that our Chief Minister has till now remained completely silent on this newly advocated demand by BJP to scrap Article 370.”
Every single pretense that was put forth as a smokescreen in the PDP-BJP ‘Common Minimum Programme’ has been rubbished and trashed with contempt by the BJP and their demand to abrogate Article 370 is the latest incident that exposes Mufti, he added.
Speaking at the convention, brother of National Conference President Farooq Abdullah and senior party leader Sheikh Mustafa Kamal demanded immediate revocation of AFSPA from J and K.
Kamal asked the Centre to “stop discriminating” against the people of Jammu and Kashmir and afford them the same democratic rights and liberties as afforded to citizens in other states of the country.
“When AFSPA can be revoked from Tripura, why are the people of J and K expected to live in perpetuity with AFSPA an Act that puts into abeyance their basic rights?” he asked.
Kamal hit out ruling PDP for not taking any action on revoking the controversial Act from the State.
“While in opposition, PDP leaders including Mehbooba Mufti said AFSPA could be revoked by the State Cabinet. Our question to Mehbooba Mufti is simple what stops Mufti Sayeed and his Cabinet from revoking AFSPA from J&K ? Especially given the fact that we have been told that the PDP-BJP alliance besides other agreements, hinges on the revocation of AFSPA,” he said.