STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: National Conference Provincial President, Devender Singh Rana on Friday said that realisation is fast dawning upon progressive, forward-looking and peace-loving political activists in the BJP about myopic politics being against the idea of pluralistic state like Jammu and Kashmir.
“They have understood during the past two and half years that reactionary politics can only lead to chaos and crisis, which the state is currently witnessing”, the Provincial President said while welcoming a BJP leader of RS Pura, Charanjeet Bhagat along with his associates in the National Conference at a specially held function at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan this afternoon.
Rana traced the roots of the ongoing crisis in the Kashmir Valley and other parts of the state in the inherent anti-people policies being thrust upon by the BJP and implemented willingly and voluntarily by the PDP. “What the duo gave to Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh in the past two and half years can be anything but development, progress and peaceful co-existence”, he said and feared that if the Centre does not appreciate gravity of the situation even at this crucial stage, things may turn uglier. He feared that sadistic delay in addressing the political dimensions of the problem with further alienate the people and create a scenario that will be difficult to tackle. “We sincerely hope good sense to prevail upon those in authority so that the state is steered out of the prevailing morass”, he said while expressing concern over human sufferings, be it on borders or in the Valley.
Referring to the joining of Charanjeet Bhagat and his associates into the party fold, the Provincial President said that National Conference is the only and natural choice because of its pro-people agenda, secular credentials and commitment to maintaining and preserving singular entity of Jammu and Kashmir. He welcomed the sagacious decision of the new-comers, saying they will feel a fresh breeze of inclusiveness, togetherness and camaraderie, which can’t be fort of any other political party. He hoped that joining of right thinking people will not only strengthen the National Conference but also generate at atmosphere of trust and confidence across the state.
“National Conference has a track record of maintaining peace and tranquility even in adverse situations and during most testing times”, he said and asserted that that the party will continue to play its assigned role. The regional unity and communal harmony will continue to guide the cadre, he said adding that public welfare has all along been its focused agenda.
Rana urged the cadre to further intensify their mass contact drive and outreach so that people don’t feel politically left-out as the present combination of PDP and BJP has left them in lurch. “At a time the problems of the people are getting accumulated and aggravated, National Conference can highlight these and force the insensitive dispensation to deliver”, he added.
Along with Charanjeet Bhagat, activists of the BJP who joined National Conference included Pram Pansotra, Vijay Kumar, Sukh Dev Sharma, Kapoor Chand, Sewa Chand, Sham Lal, Buti Ram, Raman, Neeta Sangara, Jeeto Devi, Raj Kumari, Lovely Kumar, Bawa Ram and Vardeep Kumar.
The new entrants were profusely greeted and garlanded by the senior NC leaders. Charanjeet Bhagat pledged to work for strengthening National Conference and taking forward its philosophy of amity and regional unity.
Prominent among those present on the occasion included State Vice President, Th Kashmira Singh, State Secretary Th Rachpal Singh, Provincial Vice Presidents Ch Haroon and Anil Dhar, Provincial Secretary Sheikh Bashir, Provincial President Women Wing Satwant Kour Dogra, former MLC Deepender Kour besides Vijay Lochan, Abdul Gani Teli, Dharamveer Singh Jamwal, Darshan Singh, Dilshad Begum, Rakesh Singh Raka, Sucha Singh, Sanjay Gupta, Rohit Bali, Rohit Kerni, Raja Vivek and Somraj Taroch.