NVI Special Correspondent
Jammu, Sep 23 (NVI): Responding to the tirade launched by the BJP especially Union Home Minister Amit Shah against National Conference for ruining J&K, the NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah today reminded BJP of some historic facts stating that it was the then Maharaja Hari Singh who had enacted a law for protection of land and job of J&K residents that later took the shape of Article 370.
“They (BJP leaders) claim to be the followers of Maharaja Hari Singh. Let me tell them the Article 370 scrapped by you (BJP) was the law first introduced by Maharaja before 1947 when India and Pakistan were yet to be born. At that stage, J&K was the Princely State with Maharaja as its rulers,” Dr Farooq said addressing a massive gathering at Budhal Assembly constituency of Rajouri where party candidate Javaid Choudhary is in the fray.
He said after observing the then Punjab’s progress, Maharaja thought the people from Punjab may stake claim over land and jobs in J&K and that he enacted a strong law that called for a ban on outsiders from applying for jobs and buying land in J&K. “The same law later took the shape of Article 370. It is not something NC had introduced on its own. Now the same law was rolled back by those who claim to be champions of Maharaja’s ideology on August 5, 2019,” Dr Farooq said.
He compared the BJP camp with the Pharaon stating that the leaders divided people of the country and J&K. “They (BJP leaders will meet the same fate and they will be made accountable in the peoples’ court,” the NC chief said, adding that “don’t you remember the fate of Pharaoh, who used to claim he is God. Prophet Moses grew up in his home. When Prophet Moses (AS) challenged Pharaon saying he was not the God, the Pharaoh tried to kill him. Prophet Moses took along his people and made way through the sea with his sacred stick,” Dr Farooq said. “When Pharaon tried to chase Prophet Moses, the sea got closed and washed away Pharaon and his entire army. “Same will be the fate of BJP. They will be held accountable in the courts for dividing innocent people on religious lines.”
He said under a well-planned conspiracy, people from other parts of India are being brought into J&K. “Recently, a top official was brought in from Kerala. Is J&K short of such officers? Don’t we have capable and intelligent officers here,” Dr Farooq said, adding that “this reflects the policies of hatred being promoted by the BJP.”
Dr Farooq said that locals of J&K aren’t even able to “extract one spoon of sand” as contracts lie with the outsiders. “Same is the case with stone quarries and mining,” he said and held BJP responsible for promoting the highest level of hatred not only in India but in J&K as well.
Dr Farooq said when he was the chief minister of J&K, he toured Rajouri, Poonch and other districts. “I felt disappointed after seeing the fate of schools in these areas. It was the then NC Education Minister Muhammad Shafi (Uri) who introduced the Rehbar-e-Taleem scheme under which we found teachers from local villages to teach students. And today, see how this ReT scheme transformed lives on ground,” he said.
He said all must stay united against BJP and ensure the “bus of hatred sinks soon and the bus of love is taken to every part of India.” Seeking support for the NC candidate Javaid Choudhary, Dr Farooq said that it’s time to stay united irrespective of caste, colour and creed. “If a person needs blood in hospital, is the name of a particular religion written on that blood, No, so let’s defeat the designs of BJP unitedly,” the 80-year-old political stalwart said. (News Vibes of India )
