Dr Farooq accepts defeat in ‘Kargil War’ ‘NC men played crucial role in party’s defeat, let Congress lead KAHDC’ SPOTLIGHT ABID BASHIR Srinagar, Sep 8: In a bid to put an end to the controversy surrounding Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s nominations to the Kargil Autonomous Hill Development Council (KAHDC)—which has angered Congress in Jammu and Kashmir—the National Conference president and union minister Dr Farooq Abdullah Sunday accepted defeat in the Council polls and asked Congress to lead the semi-autonomous body. Farooq, however, kept mum over the nominations which have actually triggered the controversy. “There has been a lot of tension over the KAHDC. Our own people created fuss by fighting elections against each other. We accept defeat in Kargil. We admit that Congress has won the Council elections in Kargil and now they should lead the new body,” Farooq said, addressing NC workers at the mausoleum of his father Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah at Hazratbal here on the eve of his 31st death anniversary. He said NC men played a crucial role in the defeat faced by the party. “They claimed to be riding the horses but they fell down on way,” Dr Farooq said. “We should accept our mistakes and go for introspection as to why such things take place. There are people within our ranks and outside who want us to commit a mistake so that they can rule J&K and dislodge NC forever.” He said NC does not want any rift with its alliance partner, Congress. Pertinently, Congress bagged 10 seats while NC managed only eight. The rest of the eight seats were grabbed by independent candidates in the elections to the KAHDC held on August 22. The Congress managed the support for five independents to stake claim over the Council, but the four nominations made by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah from National Conference angered the Congress, triggering a rift. Farooq admitted that there were many problems for the party in J&K. “Our workers should resolve the internal issues, sort out the grudges they have against each other,” he said. “We have lost the battle in Kargil. But we should not project it in a big way. Elections will come again. We will have assembly elections next year and lets all prepare for that as a single unit.” He asked the party-men not to lose heart over Kargil Council results. “NC is a party which has saved the identity of people of J&K since 1931. We will continue to fight for the rights of people the State,” Farooq said. “The only thing is whatever has happened in Kargil with us should not be repeated. At present we are 28 seats, our efforts should be to gain as much as possible in the upcoming elections.” The NC president in an apparent reference to PDP patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed said many people are sitting in New Delhi and waiting for a moment when NC would commit a mistake and they would rule the State. “They want to dislodge us forever, which we won’t allow,” he said. Farooq urged his brother and NC’s Additional General Secretary Sheikh Mustafa Kamaal to refrain from issuing anti-coalition statements. “You (Kamaal) should think 100 times before speaking a word against the Coalition,” he said. “I request party leaders also not to speak anything that could harm the interests of the coalition and the common people.” Farooq also urged the leadership of India and Pakistan to de-escalate tension on the Line of Control. “Whenever there is firing on the LoC, Kashmiris become the primary target. Tourists flee the place and poor houseboat men, hoteliers, and shikarawallas suffer,” he said and hoped that the proposed meeting between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York this month would prove successful. All senior NC leaders and ministers that include Abdur Rahim Rather, Mian Altaf, Chowdhary Muhammad Ramzan, Muhammad Akbar Lone, Mir Saifullah, MP Dr Mehboob Beg, and others were present on the occasion. NC’s General Secretary Sheikh Nazir and party’s provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani thanked the party workers for reaching the venue despite strike.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 05:19:03 +0000
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