Jammu: National Conference on Thursday said that only Peoples Democratic Party and Bhartiya Janata Party can end the ongoing political stalemate in the State by continuing the “compromise formula” that late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had entered into ten months back.
In an exclusive interview with a Srinagar based news agency, NC President Dr Farooq Abdullah said if PDP and BJP do not want to form the next government, then fresh elections should be conducted in the State.
“NC has no role to remove current political uncertainty in the State. Only PDP and BJP can end it as they have the mandate of the people. Both the parties have entered into a compromise formula during Mufti Sahab’s time to keep Jammu and Kashmir united. The same formula is still relevant and if they have to remember Mufti Sahab, then they should go ahead to form the government so that people get relief,” Abdullah told the news agency.
The former Chief Minister said that National Conference is ready to contest fresh elections if PDP and BJP don’t want to continue their alliance.
The NC leader said that the two parties should sit together to resolve their differences.
“If the two parties have any difference then should sit together to resolve them the way Mufti Sahab would do,” he said, adding, that no party has approached them (NC) to form the next government.
“No party, either BJP or PDP approached us for government formation,” he said.
Over the allegations by PDP that NC has handed over the State’s power projects to the NHPC, he said that “If we have handed over power projects to NHPC, then why don’t they (PDP) get it back. Who stops them (PDP)?”
The PDP says that with 60 MLAs the party handed over power projects to the NHPC.
On the controversy over his “begging bowl” statement on return of Kashmiri Pandits who migrated from the Valley in 90’s, Farooq said that despite efforts by the State’s leadership, both nationalists and Hurriyat, Kashmiri Pandits never wanted to return.
“In1996, we made every effort and requested Kashmiri Pandits to return back to their homes in Kashmir. BJP leader L.K Advani is witness to my efforts of wanting the Pandits to return. Both nationalist and Hurriyat leaders requested them to return to their homes. Even Geelani Sahab requested them to return. But they did not want to return. I am surprised why they don’t want to come back,” he said.
“And recently I told them that if you don’t want to come back then why do you blame Kashmiri Muslims for it. It is tragic that they blame Kashmiri Muslims for their migration. Nearly, one lakh Kashmiri Muslims have been killed. My leaders and ministers were killed, but still people did not leave their homes. Sikhs were killed, in Chattisingpora and elsewhere, but they still live in Kashmir. Many Hindus are living happily in villages,” he said.
He said that those people who are pitting Kashmiri Muslims against Brahmins (Kashmiri Pandits) are creating hatred between the two communities. “And such a path is very dangerous,” he said.