Reacting strongly to the warning of Shri Amarnath Yatra Sanghersh Samiti (SAYSS) to National Conference (NC) President Omar Abdullah, NC has has described it as the immature and irresponsible utterances of the leaders of Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti against the Omar Abdullah.A spokesman of the party said that NC and its leadership symbolizes secularism & communal harmony and it is because of the support extended by the NC leadership that the Union Government was facilitated to ink the agreement with the Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti. The spokesman said that the Samiti leadership, which has no representative character, should have the moral courage to accept the reality and bring the facts before the people of Jammu rather than making such statements, which will only muddy the already murky waters in J&K.
The NC spokesman said that the Sangharsh Samiti because of their irresponsible and misdirected utterances during the 63 days long agitation have revived the fundamentalist forces in Kashmir which due to the untiring efforts of NC and its leadership since the last twelve years had been isolated from the political space of Kashmir. According to the spokesman the ‘economic blockade’ touted by the BJP President Ashok Khajuria, the party which is an important component of the Sangharsh Samiti, put fresh life into the fundamentalist forces in Kashmir. The NC spokesman said Sangharsh Samiti owes an explanation to the people of Jammu as to what they have gained and what they have lost viz a viz the pride of the people of Jammu by signing a lop sided agreement in a hush- hush manner. In fact rather than unashamedly claiming victory the Samiti leaders should apologise to the people of Jammu, the NC spokesman said.
He said while the National Conference respects and regards the sentiments of the people of Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh, the Samiti which was supposed to be fighting for the cause of the people of Jammu compromised the interest of the various sections of the people of Jammu who stood by their 63 day long agitation, by signing an agreement, which had no inbuilt safeguard to protect their interests. The spokesman said National Conference has all the sympathy with the trading community, the industrial fraternity, the daily earners and farmers of the Jammu province who suffered the during 63 day long agitation but got no reprieve in the agreement signed by the Samiti with the Government.
The spokesman said that it is unfortunate that at the beginning of the agitation while the government offered the temporary usage of the land along with Rs. 25.00 crore for creating infrastructure from Lakhanpur to Baltal for the welfare of the Yatries, the Samiti agreed after 63 days agitation and loss of many precious lives for the temporary usage of the said land with no reference what so ever about any monetary support to the Board for creating infrastructure for the smooth functioning of the Yatra. The NC spokesman said it is sad that the Samiti, which claims to be the champion of the cause of the Yatra, overlooked the basic aspect of facilities for the Yatries while signing the agreement.
The spokesman also said that the Samiti which claims to be a non political organization is unnecessarily trying to indulge in political matters to satiate the political aspirations of a few members of the committee who instead of hobnobbing with politics should come in the forefront and face the electoral battle.
The spokesman said the NC, which is a major political party in Jammu and Kashmir would in future like to ignore all utterances made regarding the party and its leadership by political non entities like the Samiti leadership.