STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah on Sunday cautioned against the machinations of dividing society on the basis of religion, saying those doing it under the garb of ultra-nationalism were actually doing dis-service to the nation.
“Fragmenting society in bits and pieces is against the idea of India and its most cherished composite ethos”, Dr Abdullah said while addressing workers at Sandhi Panchayat Kana Chadgal this afternoon.
Dr Abdullah was accompanied by Provincial President Devender Singh Rana.
He expressed concern over arrogant posturing of some elements under the mistaken belief of serving national interest and said this in fact harms the spirit of togetherness and tranquillity.
He said India will progress only when the society at large maintains its time-tested heritage and isolates those creating wedge for petty political ends.
“Time has come when forces inimical to peace and unity are completely isolated”, he said, adding that political myopism can have dangerous ramifications for the country and the State like Jammu and Kashmir.
Dr Abdullah emphasised the need for strengthening secular forces, saying this is imperative in a diverse State like Jammu and Kashmir which has undergone a traumatic phase due to disturbances. He said unity among people and single entity of the regions is essential for harmonious growth of the State, adding that divisive politics can endanger the social fabric, cause disenchantment and vitiate communal harmony. “The nation and the State cannot afford division between communities, as they can prosper only when people of all faiths and regions get fair deal and equal treatment in all spheres”, he said, urging National Conference cadre to work for forging amity between various segments of society and fighting divisive tendencies, as inclusiveness has all along been its fort.
“National Conference is a movement which has taken everyone all along and never differentiated between the people on the basis of region or religion and therefore it is incumbent upon its entire cadre to rise above politics and work for the overall betterment of the State”, he maintained. He exhorted the workers to feel the pulse of people and agitate their problems in appropriate forums so that timely redressal is sought. The people, especially poor and down-trodden have all along been looking towards the party with a hope and the leadership should go whole-hog in reaching out to them in the hour of need. He said the biggest legacy of National Conference has been unity and amity, which has to be maintained and preserved at all costs.
