PDP challenges NC, Congress’ moral right to speak for Kashmiris

Srinagar, March 24 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir's ruling PDP on Friday questioned the moral right of the NC and the Congress to champion the rights of Kashmiris alleging that the woes of the people came from the long years the two parties were in power in the state.

"The moral stand that (National Conference Patron) Farooq Abdullah is trying to take on Kashmir has no legs because the problems faced by the state today are the outcome of his party and the Congress that handled power for the longest time during the last 60 years," senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Naeem Akhtar told some reporters on the sidelines of a poll campaign review meeting here.

"The alliance between the NC and the Congress only symbolises deceit and treachery. Farooq Abdullah and (his son and former Chief Minister) Omar (Abdullah) are the main reasons behind the mess the state has been facing.

"Whenever the two (NC and Congress) aligned in the past, they only brought misery and sufferings to the people," he added.

Akhtar claimed that since the NC knew it could not stand up to the PDP on its own in the Lok Sabha by-poll, it had sought support from the Congress.

He also challenged the Abdullahs, who have both represented the Srinagar seat in Parliament, to identify a single intervention they had made there which could be seen as a contribution by a public representative of the constituency.

Akhtar also alleged that the feeling of disempowerment among the people was the result of the policies adopted by the NC and the Congress.

"These two parties and their leadership are the real architects and implementers of this. In 1987, the two parties fought the election together and the state is still facing the brunt," he said referring to the elections whose rigging in generally perceived to have led to the rise of militancy in the state.

Akhtar also charged the NC with making it customary, when out of power, to raise slogans of freedom, plebiscite and autonomy.

"Abdullahs are known for their doublespeak. They oppose dialogue and peace process with Pakistan and instead advocate war when in power and bracket themselves with separatists when in opposition," he said.

PDP has fielded Nazir Ahmad Khan against the elder Abdullah who is the joint candidate of the NC and the Congress for Srinagar-Budgam Parliamentary by-poll scheduled on April 9.