Srinagar: Bharatiya Janata Party’s former ally in Jammu and Kashmir, Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday said that the saffron party is trying to create 2008 like situation in Jammu and Kashmir for electoral gains and has condemned the hateful language and threats issued to the Muslim community during the ‘Dharam Sansad’ organized by VHP and RSS at Jammu.
In a statement issued here, former minister and senior PDP leader Naeem Akhtar said that by promoting such hatred and negativity, the BJP has once again established that it can never again be trusted as a party of governance in a composite state like Jammu and Kashmir and that it has blocked its entry into the power structure of the state forever.
He added that it was unfortunate that the BJP which is ruling the country organized the event like Dharam Sansad in Jammu and senior party leaders including its President attended it.
Condemning the hateful speeches made during event against the Muslim community of the state, Akhtar expressed hope that both the majority as well as the minority community of Jammu will respond responsibly by ignoring such rants and preserve the soul and spirit of Jammu which is an asset for the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir. “People like me who have been part of the growth of Jammu into an inclusive and composite society over the past decades are of the considered view that the sentiments expressed at the Dharam Sansad do not coincide with the general opinion of the people of Jammu. If these imported voices are even tolerated within the state, it would first hit Jammu itself as we have witnessed what happened in Kashmir society in 1990,” Akhtar cautioned.
The PDP leader remarked that if the leaders of these right wing nationalist organizations claim to be “religious”, they should try to become good human beings and speak of inclusive growth and prosperity. “Good human beings and not the religious bigotry is what one needs for the prosperity of any nation. The groups who are out to spread hate and resurrect the demon of communalism must learn from history and from the contemporary situation in the world,” Akhtar said.
He added that such hateful campaigning can lead the country to disaster and Jammu and Kashmir can become the worst victim of it. “We are already facing problems on different accounts and the government must not provide any public space to such hateful campaigns to take place anywhere in the state,” Akhtar added.
