MATHWAR: National Conference Provincial President, Devender Singh Rana on Wednesday cautioned against attempts of weakening India’s unique characteristic of inclusiveness, saying this is the only binding force that can steer the nation-state to peace and prosperity.
“If we have to live up to the idea of India, we will have to shun myopism in order to get ourselves out of the prevailing situation of drift and intolerance”, Rana said while addressing workers at Dhanu in Mathwar block of Nagrota Assembly Constituency.
Rana said the founding fathers of this nation had visualized India as an abode of people belonging to various faiths, who have access to equal opportunities to prosper and flourish as proud Indians. ‘Compartmentalizing the people into religious or ethnic groups is dangerous for harmonious growth of the country and it is, therefore, incumbent upon compatriots to isolate all those who try to divide the nation into bits and pieces under the mistaken belief of serving national cause “, he said, hoping good-sense will prevail upon such forces as well.
Expressing concern over growing tendencies of hate, the Provincial President said the situation in recent times across the country has been horrendous, as some political entities, who have rightly or wrongly got to central stage, were working overtime to promote dissent and generate wedge between various communities.
Unfortunately, Rana said that certain forces were travelling across the country with a mission to divide the people instead of trying to bridge the gap. “In our state also, such machinations are being set in motion but the peace loving and highly tolerant people have the political sagacity to see through their game plan and thus foil all their misadventures”, he added.
The Provincial President warned that any attempt to disturb time-tested harmony and singularity of the state will be against the larger national interest.. He said certain elements were trying to vitiate the atmosphere by perpetrating political uncertainty, not only in Jammu and Kashmir but also elsewhere in the country. He regretted over communal discord in various parts of the country, saying the ugly incidents in the recent past have shaken the faith of people.
Without naming any political party, Rana said that a situation has been created across the country wherein the people are compelled to look for their identity. Those doing it under the garb of ultra nationalism were doing a disservice to the nation,” he said while urging the people to stand against such divisive elements. He emphasised the need for strengthening secular forces, especially in a diverse state like Jammu and Kashmir which has undergone a traumatic phase in the past.
“The people, especially poor and down-trodden have all along been looking towards the party with a hope and the National Conference cadre should reach out to them in the hour of need,” he added.
Earlier, the Provincial President and MLA Nagrota participated in the Public Grievances Redressal Camp in which large number of people participated and highlighted various issues.