Will voice aspirations of people of Kashmir in Parliament: Sajad Gani Lone

Naseer A Ganai

Srinagar, March 10

Peoples Conference president Sajad Gani Lone on Sunday sought support of the electorate in the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency and said he will restore the region’s glory and voice the aspirations of the people in the Parliament.

Make the right choice

These elections will undoubtedly pave the way for collective betterment of our region, provided the right choices are made by sending representatives who can truly convey the aspirations and pain of the people of Kashmir in Parliament. Sajad Lone, president, peoples conference

“These elections will undoubtedly pave way for the collective betterment of our region, provided the right choices are made by sending representatives who can truly convey the aspirations and pain of the people of Kashmir in the Parliament,” Lone, who is the party candidate for the Baramulla constituency, said at a convention of the party workers at Baramulla town.

Coming down heavily on National Conference, Lone said it has not delivered anything except pain to the people of the region. “National Conference would accuse anyone who left the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) of being an ally of the BJP, and now the PAGD has been dismantled by them on their own,’ he said. He also questioned NC’s reluctance in leaving a seat for PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti.

Questioning the performance of the National Conference MPs, who have been elected by the people for more than half a century, Lone criticised them for failing to meet the hopes of the people and remaining mute spectators to the issues concerning the people of J&K. “There is a lot of pain, agony and suffering among the people, and only those who understand it can truly speak up for them in the Parliament. Until now, the MPs from Kashmir have consistently failed to uphold the public mandate, displaying blatant political ineptitude and willful improvidence,” he said.

“It is now important for people to chart their own course of action. The coming elections are of utmost significance. Never before has Kashmir seen such a crucial moment in its electoral history,” Lone said.

In 2019, he said, the revocation of Article 370 and Article 35A, alongside the loss of statehood, inflicted profound pain upon the people of Kashmir. “Who will carry this burden to New Delhi, ensuring that the voices of the Kashmiri people resonate in the highest corridors of power,” he said.

For decades, Lone said, the National Conference has held the North Kashmir constituency. “Let them (NC) show their contribution to the development and welfare of the constituency. If their track record over the past half-century fails to justify our votes, then it’s necessary to seek alternative paths. We must introspect, recognising our complicity in perpetuating a system that has failed to alleviate our suffering,” Lone said.

The Peoples Conference chairman said the decision to abrogate Article 370 was not made by the people of Jammu and Kashmir but by the Parliament, yet the silence of NC MPs on this matter within the Parliament was deafening. He said the NC issues statements within the confines of Kashmir on Article 370 but remain mute at the national level. “It is not enough to sermonize here in Kashmir; they should have talked where it matters most — in the Parliament,” he added.

For the last 30 years, Peoples Conference leader said, there have been two distinct groups in Kashmir: those who suffered beatings and those who administered them, those who were incarcerated and those who imprisoned them, those who endured bullets and those who fired them. “Around 95 percent of Kashmir’s population falls into the category of those who endured beatings or suffered in jails. I take pride in sharing this common experience; I, too, have been subjected to imprisonment, torture, and beatings. I stand as one among you,” he said.

Lone said the concept of the “NoC Raj” has been forced upon the people of Jammu and Kashmir by holding a person’s son, brother or relative accountable for their past actions. “We vow to reinstate the dignity of our citizens, ensuring that they are not held accountable for the actions of others or distant past mistakes. Our ethos prioritises reintegration over perpetuating further marginalisation,” he added.

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