Patriot Monitoring Desk
Mufti Syed told Mr. Vajpayee ‘Don’t keep all eggs in the one basket’: Sagar over autonomy
After a sudden political crises that erupted in the state of Jammu and Kashmir due to a breakup of generally termed as ‘Unholy’ Alliance between Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), followed by continuous bloodshed, unease and governor’s rule, what is the role of state’s major political party National conference (NC) ahead and issues concerning, NC’s General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar talks to Kashmir Patriot. Here are the excerpts from the exclusive conversation:
KP: What is happening in the State? At first instance no party gets full mandate and when alliance government is formed, it won’t last for long?
SAGAR: You should pose this question to those who came into power, who were repeatedly suggested not to form government with the BJP. And unconditional support for government formation to PDP was offered by NC and other parties as well. Today after the completion of three years, the prediction then made by NC and its leaders proved to be right and today PDP is blaming BJP and vice versa. Even blaming game is going on within PDP.
That is writing on wall that we warned that this alliance is not good for state, even if BJP had scored 25 seats from Jammu and PDP had 28 seats from Kashmir.
KP: What is the main reason that even NC (strongest party) is not able to achieve majority. Are people angry with the political parties?
SAGAR: It is up to people whom they choose. Whom they want in power. In 2002 we were having strong mandate but still the higher corridors of Delhi opted PDP and choice Mufti Sayeed as Chief Minster despite they had merely 16 seats. We whole heartedly accepted the challenge to be in opposition.
KP: Many questions are raised on National Conference as the party has ruled state for maximum period of time. Apart from development, people wish core (Kashmir) issue should be brought to a logical conclusion, but till date we have not seen any progress?
SAGAR: It is National Conference who had from the very beginning suggested resolution of Kashmir issue. The history is being presented with distorted facts. Why Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah remained in jail for 18years. Why? For Kashmir issue. The 1952 Agreement, Instrument of accession, a separate state flag, separate Constitution, Article 370 and 35 A, are all only because of Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah and his party. This state has a special status. This is not a state like UP, Bengal, Bihar, and Tamil Naidu etc. This is only Muslim majority state in the country. And whenever there were oppositions or attempts to damage its special status, national conference has raised its strong voice.
Rest you can check national conference has govern for 24 years as compared to that Congress including PDP has ruled nearly for 40 years since 1947 till date. PDP’s Late Mufti Mohammad has remained country’s Home Ministers. This has become a sentence, NC ruled for 70 years, how?
KP: If we talk about what NC has done after Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah, NC even failed to revoke AFSPA what it claims to execute in its tenure.
SAGAR: AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act) was invoked by Mufti Sahab in 1990 due to which Farooq Abdullah left the government. Farooq Abdullah the said he won’t remain in government because you (Establishment) are going to kill people under the garb of AFSPA. When Jagmohan (governor) and AFSPA together were sent to the state by Mufti Sahab there were genocides all over the valley from Gawkadil to Kupwara to Bandipora to Bejbehara. It was not done by NC. Mufti Sahab was Home Minister those days. NC infact tried to revoke it latter, but there were few people in congress during our regime who created hindrances. Like they did by hanging Afzal Guru despite Omar Abdullah warned them of sensitive atmosphere in the state. These allegations are being forced on NC.
KP: Leave party politics aside, talk about people they expect resolution of Kashmir issue apart from return of power projects, revival of tourism. What NC has done in this regard? And there were civilian killings during your (NC’s) tenure as well?
SAGAR: See i am a worker, a small political worker. I work like a common man. My feelings are also similar to feelings of common people. You have right to criticize national conference, but who invoked AFSPA. PDP was also in power. They talk of healing touch where is that? Where has agenda of alliance gone? I challenge you; tell me any one point from Agenda of Alliance which was fulfilled. What they have done? Instead they killed 450 civilians, 350 educated youth joined militant ranks and latter killed in just 24 hours in forces operations. Who brought Operation All Out and CASO? Is it NC who brought all this? Today south Kashmir is boiling and people are living miserable life, who did all this? No, not NC.
KP: You are playing a blame game but who will rectify this. Who will heel these wounds?
SAGAR: We tried to rectify but did anybody gave us opportunity. Dr Farooq Abdullah jumped in fire well by contesting 1996 elections for the sake of autonomy. He was promised by Indian leadership for Autonomy if he wins elections but after winning elections with 2/3rd majority, the autonomy resolution was passed, but center throws it in dustbin. When Delhi did not betray us? Sheikh Abdullah talked about truth and rights, but he was kept in jail for 18 years. We (NC) raise slogans for plebiscite. We protested in Lal Chowk for referendum. But it was Mufti Sayeed who met then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and told him “don’t keep all eggs in the one basket”. He (Mufti Syed) told Mr Vajpayee today they are demanding autonomy and tomorrow they will ask for Azadi (freedom).
Why you forget history. When national conference did have not tried? Omer Abdullah as Chief Minister expressed his anguish in Assembly that it is an instrument of accession and we have not merged. Omar Abdullah said it is conditional if you erode Article 370 the relation will be affected.
KP: What about the Kashmiri Pandits. Why your government failed to bring them back so far?
SAGAR: They are not willing. We welcomed them every time. We offered them jobs, incentives, compensations and different packages, but they did not return. Why they don’t return, you can ask them.
KP: How will peace return?
SAGAR: You are right. You have to stand for people. But tell me Omer Sahab (Ex Chief Minister) publicly apologized for the killings of 110 civilians in 2010 during our tenure. You should appreciate his sincerity. We accept our mistakes despite that was done by agencies like police or else. But we accepted as we were in the government and we hold ourselves responsible. After this period peace returned in 2011, 2012, 2013 and Assembly as well as Panchayat elections were held peacefully. Tourism was on the top. But today Mehbooba’s PDP and her ally BJP has created such an atmosphere which is out of hands. We were expecting normalcy from Governor’s rule but the situation is worst which indicates intentions are not right.
https://kashmirpatriot.com/2018/08/16/why-dr-farooq-abdullah-meets-governor/
Comments are closed.