National Conference today resolved to remain in the forefront to strive for upholding dignity and honour of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“National Conference cannot absolve itself of its responsibility and commitment to the people of Jammu and Kashmir”, a resolution adopted unanimously at a meeting of the senior functionaries and district presidents of the Jammu region at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan stated, while exhorting the cadre to stand tall in meeting all the challenges and maintaining a close rapport with the masses besides maintaining harmony and tranquility as per the party’s cherished agenda of upholding the tenets of democracy, secularism and brotherhood.
The meeting, presided over by Provincial President Mr Devender Singh Rana, was, among others, attended by Mr Ajay Kumar Sadhotra, Mr Surjeet Singh Slathia, Mr Javed Rana, Mr Rattan Lal Gupta, Mr Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo, Sheikh Abdul Rehman Mr Khalid Najeeb Suharwardhy, Babu Ram Pal, Th Rachpal Singh, Mr Ajaz Jan.
The resolution added that National Conference, the only political party having its presence in every nook and corner of Jammu and Kashmir, which represents the urges and aspirations of people belonging to various faiths, regions and sub-regions. It also reinforced its unequivocal commitment to secularism and pledged to further strengthen the bonds between various segments of society in true spirit of its political philosophy of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, and Buddhist Itehad. “National Conference will fight against all the attempts of dividing the society on regional and religious basis”, the resolution said.
While expressing concern over the recent attempts of opening J&K government jobs on all India basis and curtailing the 50:50 ratio in the central services to 67:33, National Conference said apprehensions are haunting the bonafide residents of Jammu and Kashmir, who seek guarantee on jobs and lands.
“National Conference, while emphasizing on the need to address the burgeoning unemployment problem, resolved to seek and strive for protection to the lands and jobs for the bonafide residents of Jammu and Kashmir. It expresses anguish over the recent attempts of squeezing the job opportunities for local educated unemployed by advertising posts in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on All India basis. It calls for guarantee of the rights of the locals. It urges the Centre to end the ambiguity in this regard, as quite confusing and contradictory statements are emanating from the local BJP leadership, giving impression of having assumed extra-constitutional authority by them”, the resolution said, while urging the government to expedite recruitment process for filling up all the vacant posts in various departments by locals and to initiate special recruitment drives in police and other forces, especially in border, hilly and rural areas.
“We also demand continued relaxation in age for civil services exams being conducted by the Union Public Service Commission as per past practice”, the resolution added.
The resolution expressed grave concern over continued detention of mainstream political leaders including three former chief ministers and sought their unconditional release. It noted with pain and anguish the extension in Public Safety Act on Dr Farooq Abdulah, which the party feels as affront to the contribution of the country’s one of the top leaders and undermining his chequered political career and stature. It recalled the sincere urge of the National Conference leadership for ensuring normalcy, which reflected in the earnest appeal made by Mr Omar Abdullah, hours ahead of his detention on August 5 last year”, it added.
The resolution expressed dismay over the continued communication blockade and demanded restoration of mobile internet across Jammu and Kashmir forthwith. “National Conference feels unease over total communication blockade for five months while noting that similar facility was restored within two to three days in various parts of the country, especially Assam and Uttar Pradesh in the recent past. On the contrary, restoration of internet remains a distant dream in Jammu and Kashmir”, the resolution said.
Prominent among those present on the occasion included Sheikh Bashir Ahmed, Jagjeevan Lal, , Abdul Wahid Shan, Dr. Chaman Lal Bhagat, Prem Sagar Aziz, Brij Mohan Sharma, Haji Mohd Hussain, Mohd Iqbal Bhat, Master Noor Hussain, Deepender Kour, Sagar Chand, Satwant Kour Dogra, Bashir Ahmed Wani, Vipan Pal Sharma, Jugal Mahajan, Ch. Haroon, Swaran Latta, S. Gurdeep Singh Sasan, Anil Dhar, Mohinder Singh, Pardeep Bali, Sajjad Shaheen, Ch. Wali Dad, Ch. Arshad, Sheikh Mohd Shaffi, Issar Khan, Abdul Gani Teli, Vijay Lochan, Dilshad Malik, Rita Gupta, Rashida Begum, G. H Malik, Bharti Sharma, Raj Kapoor, S.SBunty, Ifkhtair Choudhary, Dharamveer Singh Jamwal, Bhusan Uppal, Dr. Shamshad Shan, Sunil Verma, Ram Parshotam, Romy Khajuria, Ajeet Kr. Sharma, Mohinder Gupta, Ch. Rehmat Ali, S. Sucha, Singh, Ashok Singh Manhas, Ch Nazir Hussain, S Darshan Singh Azad, Master Shamsher Singh, Ch Mumtaz Bajad, Vijay Khajuria, Imtiaz Zargar, Dayal Singh, Rohit Bali, Riaz Malik, Rohit Kerni, S Tejinder Singh, Som Raj Taroch, Kr Yashwardhan Singh, Muzamil Malik, Ashok Dogra, Mohammed Aarif Mir, Th Chail Singh Bandryal, Shabir Ahmad Choudhry, Shabir Ahmed and others.