STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Stressing the crucial need for amity and brotherhood, especially in the wake of vested political entities attempting to polarise Jammu and Kashmir on regional and religious lines, National Conference Provincial President Devender Singh Rana on Tuesday said the best way of isolating these forces is to maintain unity for which the State is known for. “Unity in diversity has been the biggest strength of this unique State,” Rana said while addressing a seminar on ‘Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian Unity and Save Democracy’, organised by All India Backward Classes Union at Sunjwan near here this afternoon. The seminar was attended by cross section of society.
Former Ministers and Congress leaders Raman Bhalla and Shabir Ahmed Khan addressed the conference.
The Provincial President recalled the significant role played by National Conference during most testing times during the past nearly seven decades and said ‘Hindu, Muslim, Sikh Christian, Buddhist Unity’ has been the corner stone of the mass movement led by Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah all his life. He said communal amity is synchronised with the Sher-e-Kashmir who strived for forging the bonds of brotherhood and ensuring social justice.
“At a time, the society is ridden with hatred, communal flare-up and atrocities on Dalits, we must imbibe the spirit of brotherhood to isolate all those dividing the society,” Rana said and hoped that the people will meet all challenges with courage and fortitude. He also spelled out measures taken by National Conference for ensuring politico-economic emancipation of the weaker sections of the society and carving out a huge role for them in the decision making.
He said the progress of the State and the country will be meaningless until the lot of Dalits, Other Backward Classes besides various segments of weaker sections is improved. In this context, he made a passionate appeal to all, irrespective of political affiliations, to help create such an atmosphere wherein opportunities of progress are made available to them in good measure.
The Provincial President highlighted the role of youth in strengthening bonds of brotherhood and regional unity, and urged them to come forward in a big way in safeguarding the single entity of Jammu and Kashmir.
Rana prayed for peace and tranquility in the State, especially in the Kashmir Valley, hoping that the present difficult times would end soon.
Addressing the seminar, former Minister and Congress leader Raman Bhalla said the State of Jammu and Kashmir is passing though a most difficult stage and there was need for secular forces to frustrate political entities whose politics was based on hate and intolerance.
Bhalla expressed concern over the prevailing scenario and said this has impacted the entire State, with development coming to grinding halt and utility services remaining affected.
He urged the people to foil the machinations of peace-inimical elements and work for bringing peace and harmony in the State.
Speaking on the occasion, Congress former Minister Shabir Ahmed Khan castigated BJP for pursuing divisive politics and said this is against the ethos of Jammu and Kashmir, which is known for its pluralistic ethos.
“The need of the hour is to further strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and work for a society wherein social justice prevails and people live with harmony”, Shabir Ahmed Khan added.
President AIBCU, J and K Abdul Majeed Malik and General Secretary Prof.
Kali Dass spelled out the initiatives taken to meet the challenges confronted to the society.