News Analysis India

Tag: National conference

  • Changing political path to strengthen Jammu declaration: Devender Rana after resigning from NC

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Devender Singh Rana after resigning from the primary membership of the National Conference on Sunday said that he changed his political path to strengthen the Jammu declaration.

    He further stated that the Jammu declaration will become the voice of Jammu and Kashmir, which will strengthen the union territory and the rest of the country.

    “I believe there is a need for strengthening of Jammu declaration. It will become a voice for Jammu and Kashmir and strengthen union territory and the country. For this, I have changed my political path,” Rana told ANI.

    Surjit Singh Slathia also resigned from the primary membership of the National Conference led by Farooq Abdullah in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday.

    Former minister Slathia after resigning from the party said that he always worked for the party but it did not feel right anymore now. He also stated that he does not have any issues with the party or its leadership and will serve the people of the state from outside the party.

    National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah today accepted the resignations of Slathia and Rana and the party in an official statement said that no further action or comment is deemed necessary.

    Devender Rana and Slathia arrived in Delhi soon after announcing their resignations.

    Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) is a regional political party in the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

  • NC suffers major jolt as Jammu-based leaders Devender Rana, Slathia quit 

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: The National Conference suffered a major setback in Jammu as two prominent leaders Devender Rana and Surjit Singh Slathia resigned from the party on Sunday.

    They are likely to join the BJP in Delhi on Monday.

    “Dr Farooq Abdullah has received & accepted the resignations of Mr Salathia & Mr Rana. No further action or comment is deemed necessary,” a National Conference spokesman tweeted.

    Rana, who was NC’s provincial president of the Jammu region, also announced the decision to quit the National Conference during a brief interaction with media persons outside his house here, ending over week-long speculation about him leaving his party and joining the BJP.

    “I along with (senior party colleague and former minister) S S Slathia resigned from the basic membership of the National Conference,” he told reporters.

    Rana, a former MLA and younger brother of Union minister Jitendra Singh, had taken over the post of provincial president of the National Conference in 2011 after relinquishing his office as political advisor to the then chief minister Omar Abdullah.

    “Now the voice of J-K will come from Jammu which should get its rightful place,” Rana, who was considered as the backbone of the National Conference in Jammu province, said.

    He said his political philosophy would be based on the proposed ‘Jammu declaration’.

    Rana said his only concern is the interests of Jammu and the wishes and aspirations of the people of the region.

    The ‘Jammu declaration’ is an attempt in this direction where people from all walks of life including political parties need to come together, he added.

    Rana had proposed the ‘Jammu declaration’ on January 30, a charter to forge unity and reinforce trust between diverse communities and divergent regions of Jammu and Kashmir.

    “The core of the declaration will be to engage the people in inter-region and intra-regional dialogue to bridge the fault-lines being created by divisive forces on the basis of region and religion,” Rana had said.

    Asked whether his leaving the National Conference is a big loss for the party, he said people come and go and so the resignation of the two leaders would have no impact on it as the NC is a “very big” party.

    “I enjoy good relations with both (NC president) Farooq Abdullah and (vice president) Omar Abdullah,” he said.

    After proposing the Jammu declaration, Rana had said the BJP was the only party which gave a “big response” to it.

    Meanwhile, the NC nominated senior leader Rattan Lal Gupta as provincial president of Jammu till elections for the post are held on October 16.

    “Party general secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar has issued a notification regarding elections for the post of provincial presidents for Jammu and Valley to be held on 16th October,” the spokesman said.

    He said senior party leaders Choudhary Mohammad Ramzaan and Ali Mohammad Dar were nominated as election officers for Kashmir province and Sheikh Mustafa Kamaal and Anil Dhar for Jammu province.

  • Attacks on civilians in J&K aimed at dividing communities, says Omar Abdullah

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: The recent attacks on civilians in Jammu and Kashmir were aimed at creating a wedge between communities and it is the responsibility of the majority community to give a sense of security to our brothers, National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah said on Friday.

    He made an earnest appeal to members of the minority communities in Kashmir to not allow a repeat of what happened in the 1990s by leaving their homes.

    Speaking to reporters after visiting the residence of slain school principal Supinder Kour at Aloochi Bagh here, Abdullah also criticised the administration for failing to apprehend the attacks.

    “The attacks are taking place back-to-back and no one feels secure here today. The Muslims here have also been targeted, Kashmiri Pandits and Sikh brethren also. They do not feel safe,” he said.

    “This is no time for politics, and I have not come here for politics, but it is the responsibility of the rulers to make people understand where the failure lies,” Abdullah added.

    The former chief minister of the erstwhile state of J&K said even as he was not part of the government, he had “been hearing since the last month or so that minority communities will be targeted here”.

    “I heard it from very responsible people. When this information could reach me, did it not reach the responsible persons in the administration? Why did they not do anything about it?” “There is an atmosphere of fear, everyone is thinking of leaving from here. It is our responsibility, especially of the majority community, to try to give a sense of security to our brothers and neighbours so that we will not see a repeat of the 1990s-like situation,” he said.

    When asked if the attacks were done to disrupt the communal harmony in J&K, Abdullah said the militants always had such an agenda.

    “They have had this agenda from the start. Yesterday also, they separated these two teachers and then killed them. The aim is to disrupt the traditional communal harmony here and worsen the situation.”

    “That is why I said it is the responsibility of the majority community. When we look for safety of Muslims and Sikhs in other parts from our Hindu brethren, so, in Kashmir also where Muslims are in majority, it is our responsibility to provide them a sense of security,” he said.

    Appealing the minority communities not to leave Kashmir Valley, Abdullah said it is easy to pass a judgment in his position but “it will be extremely unfair because I can well imagine the sense of fear that they must be living under”.

    “All I can do is make an earnest appeal to all of them. The aim of these attacks is to drive a wedge between the communities and is to try and drive these communities out of Kashmir. We cannot let these attacks succeed, and therefore, I am making an earnest appeal to all of them to not consider leaving from here,” he said.

    The NC leader said his party will continue to press the administration to make sure that all these people feel secure and they are given security.

    “But there should not be a pick and choose approach like the government’s decision after these attacks to give a 10-day holiday to Kashmiri Pandit employees, but not to Kashmiri Sikhs. In this attack, if a Pandit as well as a Sikh were attacked, why only holiday for Pandits? Why not for them,” he said.

  • Still with National Conference, says Devender Rana amid speculations of him leaving the party

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: National Conference leader Devender Singh Rana on Wednesday said he was still with the party amid speculations that the businessman-turned-politician was likely to join the BJP.

    Rana, who is NC’s provincial president of the Jammu region, said he would share details with the media when “there is anything”.

    “As I talk to you, yes,” Rana told reporters here when asked if he was still a part of the National Conference.

    The Jammu-based NC leader said he met party president Farooq Abdullah and vice president Omar Abdullah at their Gupkar residence here.

    “I was here for condolences. And it is always a pleasure to meet Farooq and Omar sahib,” he said.

    For the past few days, speculations have been rife that Rana, who is the brother of Union minister Jitendra Singh, was leaving the NC and likely to join the BJP.

    Rana, however, said he would share with the media his future plans “if there is anything”.

  • It’s too much to expect Congress to fight BJP when its state leaders busy in infighting: Omar Abdullah

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: It is too much to expect the Congress to take the fight to the BJP when its state leaders are too busy fighting amongst themselves, National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah said on Saturday after the resignation of Amarinder Singh as Punjab Chief Minister.

    Abdullah, a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, said the Congress party’s actions have a direct impact on every political party outside the BJP-led National Democratic Allaince (NDA) as almost 200 Lok Sabha seats see a direct contest between the Congress and the BJP.

    In a series of tweets, he said, “I guess it’s too much to expect the Congress to take the fight to the BJP when its state leaders are too busy fighting amongst themselves.”

    “Ordinarily I wouldn’t give a toss about the fratricide in the Congress party – their party, their business.

    However what the Congress does has a direct fallout for every political party outside the NDA orbit because almost 200 Lok Sabha seats see a direct BJP – Cong fight,” he added.

    Congress veteran Amarinder Singh on Saturday resigned as the chief minister of Punjab, capping months of a power tussle that had polarised the ruling party in the state headed for elections in just about four months.

  • J&K MP Hasnain Masoodi wants Centre to start ‘peace offensive’

    Express News Service

    SRINAGAR: With security officials concerned over possible effects of the changes in Afghanistan in militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference MP Justice (retd) Hasnain Masoodi has advised the Centre to launch a “peace offensive” to prevent any impact of the Taliban.

    Talking to The New Indian Express, Masoodi said, “The Centre should launch a peace offensive in J&K. It should go for dialogue, respect the wishes and aspirations of J&K people and restore the rights of people. The Centre should restore the August 5, 2019 Constitutional position of J&K.”

    On Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the MP said, “In Afghanistan, it is not a mere change of power, it is a huge ideological shift with a new approach and mindset. It is likely to have an impact not only there, but it will have underground rumblings in many parts of the world”.

    He said since J&K is already a hot spot, there may be some spill over of what is happening in Afghanistan. “People are alienated and there is a big gulf. When PM Modi talks Dil ki Doori, it means there exists a Doori (gulf). The government has made the ground fertile for germination of seeds. They said things are normal but that is not the case”.

    Masoodi said after Article 370 revocation, the government gave an impression that people in J&K were living in the Stone Age.

    “They are giving wrong information to the country. Development cannot be anything by itself unless you address the aspirations of people. Peace and development go hand in hand. We want development with dignity and one cannot have dignity unless you restore the rights of people.”

    Told that the Centre has been saying Article 370 won’t be restored, Masoodi said, “We hope it will be.”

  • National Conference demands CBI probe into death of party leader Trilochan Singh Wazir

    By PTI

    JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Saturday demanded a CBI probe into the death of senior party leader Trilochan Singh Wazir whose partially decomposed body was found in a flat in Delhi a couple of days ago.

    It also demanded that the investigation be fast-tracked.

    The partially decomposed body of 67-year-old Wazir with the head wrapped in a plastic bag was found last Thursday in a washroom of the flat which was taken on rent by his acquaintance Harpreet Singh (31), a native of Amritsar.

    The investigation has been transferred to the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch while the force’s Special Cell will assist them.

    “Multiple theories are making the rounds about the death and therefore to bring out the truth, an inquiry by the CBI should be ordered forthwith,” senior National Conference leaders, led by its provincial president Devender Singh Rana, said in a joint statement here.

    “Wazir was a prominent leader of the party and his contribution in different capacities like the president Gurdwara Prabandhak Board and the president of the transport union has been immense,” it said.

    According to the statement, the National Conference leaders are meeting Lt Governor Manoj Sinha also to press their demand for CBI inquiry into the death of Wazir.

    According to them, Wazir arrived in Delhi on September 2 and was staying with Harpreet Singh and his friend Harmeet Singh at their rented flat in the Basai Darapur area in the western part of the city.

    Both Harpreet and Harmeet are absconding and multiple teams have been formed to trace them.

  • Raids in J&K, Punjab over National Conference leader’s death in Delhi

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  Raids are being conducted in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab to catch two suspects involved in the murder of National Conference leader Trilochan Singh Wazir, the Delhi Police said on Friday. Wazir (67), also former Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council member, was found dead in a flat in West Delhi on Thursday.

    A case of murder was registered in the matter and the investigation was transferred to Delhi Police’s Crime Branch with the force’s  Special Cell to assist them, officials had said.  According to sources, police checked CCTV footage of the area and found that the accused were present in the building on Wednesday, a day before Wazir’s body was found. Prima facie, it looks like the NC leader was killed on September 2, sources said.The postmortem was conducted at a government hospital here on Friday for which a board of doctors was constituted, they said.

    Investigation teams have been sent to Amritsar and Jammu in connection with the probe to trace the two suspects — Harpreet Singh and Harmeet Singh — who have been absconding. The highly decomposed body of Wazir with his head wrapped in a plastic bag was found in a washroom of the flat.

  • National Conference will contest elections whenever they are held in J&K: Farooq Abdullah

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said his party is committed to the struggle for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and special status but will contest elections whenever they are held in the union territory.

    He was speaking to reporters after paying his respects at NC founder and his father Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s mausoleum at Naseem Bagh here on his 39th death anniversary.

    The Centre had abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution and divided Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories on August 5, 2019.

    ​ALSO READ | All is not well in Jammu and Kashmir: Farooq Abdullah on violence against elected representatives

    Article 370 granted special status to the erstwhile state.

    Abdullah said the NC is committed to the struggle for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and special status.

    “We don’t know when elections will be held, but we are clear about it. We will contest elections whenever they are held in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

    On the Taliban taking control of Afghanistan, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said he hoped that they will respect human rights and seek friendly relations with all countries.

    “The Taliban have taken over, and now they have to nurture the country. I hope that they (will) do justice with all,” Abdullah said.

    “They should seek friendly relations with all countries,” he said.

  • National Conference will win next assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir: Farooq Abdullah

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah Tuesday asserted his party will win the next assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, indicating for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 that his party would participate in the polls.

    “We will win and I am telling you this with authority that if they conduct polls in a free and fair manner, then the National Conference will be the biggest party here,” he told reporters on the sidelines of an event titled ‘Parliamentary outreach programme for the empowerment Panchayati Raj institutions in Jammu and Kashmir’.

    The National Conference (NC) chief, who represents the Srinagar parliamentary constituency, however, regretted his party’s non-participation in the 2018 panchayat polls and the 2019 Block Development Council elections.

    “Our party did not contest the polls and I regret it. We should have (contested) and we will in the future God willing,” the veteran politician said.

    Advising sarpanches and panches, with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Lt Governor Manoj Sinha also present on the dais, Abdullah asked them to remain in touch with people and listen to their problems, and not behave like bureaucrats who, he said, do not come to the rescue of people.

    Expressing anguish over government officials of the Jammu and Kashmir administration not responding to phone calls of people, Abdullah requested Sinha to instruct them to answer calls.

    “I have this complaint with the government officials that they do not pick up their phones as if some ghost is hanging upon them,” he said.

    Abdullah said he picks up anybody’s call because as a doctor he feels that the caller may be in some kind of distress.

    “I do not ask him which religion or party he belongs to. I think of him as a human in whose heart God resides,” he said.

    Abdullah added soon a government will be formed in J&K which will make the officers accountable.

    Later on, talking to the reporters, he said the bureaucrats would be held accountable.

    “They will be accountable tomorrow for what they have done.

    Today, they think of themselves as kings, but they are not kings, they are the servants of people who have to work for the people,” he said.

    The function was also attended by union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Prahlad Patel and Minister of State for Education Annapurna Devi.