Asks both Hindus and Muslims to shun hatred against each other
BUNTY MAHAJAN
JAMMU, DECEMBER 11
Reiterating that Jammu and Kashmir will never fall in their hands, National Conference president and former Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said that there was no way other than talking to Pakistan for lasting peace in the Union Territory.
The government was saying everything there is hunky-dory, he said when asked about the killing of a police constable in the Valley. “Is it hunky-dory. Are people safe there,’’ he asked, adding “when your police personnel are not safe, how is an ordinary man safe’’.
Farooq Abdullah, who was speaking to media persons after a function of Kashmiri Pandits at National Conference headquarters here
“You have to talk,’’ shouted back Farooq Abdullah while replying to a question soon after a function of Kashmiri Pandits at National Conference headquarters here. “There is no way out,’’ he added.
“You can talk to China…What do you say about China who is coming closer, occupying our territory. They make houses in our territory,’’ he said. Did Government of India allow discussion on this in Parliament, he asked, adding do you understand what the Chinese are doing.
Earlier, addressing the migrant Kashmiri Pandits, he without naming Pakistan said that they thought that through ethnic cleansing, Kashmir will be theirs. “I want to reiterate from this stage that even if the sky and earth join hands, Jammu and Kashmir will never fall in their hands,’’ he said.
Referring to numerous problems faced by them while living in exile and also appreciating people of Jammu for opening the doors of their houses for them, National Conference leader said they have been used as vote bank. Without naming anybody, he said that many promises were made to them, but not a single one was fulfilled.
Referring to 1947 partition of the country when not a single Hindu got killed due to the intervention of Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, he recalled how “our sympathizers started creating problems for us after 1947, thinking that they will get your vote’’. “Pardon me, but this involved people from your and our side also who did all what they could do for their chairs and started creating a wedge between Kashmiri Pandits and Kashmiri Muslims,’’ NC leader said. “They have created so much hatred between them for each other that I do not want to talk much about it,’’ he said, adding they used to greet other on their faces, but they had a volcano of hatred in their heart that this Muslim has made us leave the Valley.
“Muslim did not make you leave, but those vested interests who do not understand Dharma and who will never understand it. They involve both your own and our people,’’ he added.
Recalling how local Muslims saved Pandits at Wanpoh village from unidentified miscreants who had come to attack them after his government was toppled by the some party rebels with the help of Congress, he said Arun Nehru rang him and requested him with folded hands to save them. I went there and met local people who said that they were outsiders, he added. “I went to Ganderbal, there was no a single survivor, all of them had been killed. In Bugam, poor and unarmed people..,’’ he recalled.
Referring to his government’s initiative to take back Kashmiri Pandits home, he said that the plan had to be shelved following their killings. “I cannot take their blood on my hands,’’ he said, adding that however, “time will come when you will return home with dignity’’.
He asked both Hindus and Muslims to remove hatred for each other from their hearts. “Even now there is hatred in our hearts. Till it does not go, we cannot live in peace and our enemy will keep on exploiting it,’’ he added.
Referring to the allegations that jobs have been taken away by Muslims, he said that they did not take them as they were not educated before 1947. “He used to be called Hatoo (coolie)..He was oppressed,’’ he added. “There were moneylenders and landlords among both hindus and muslims. That system ended, but it was spread among you,’’ he said.
“Muslaman is also part of India. Majority population (in Jammu and Kashmir),’’ he said, asking “doesn’t he need a job, whether he has to remain unemployed,’’ he asked, adding that “will you believe that jobs were created in Telecom Department and not a single Muslim was appointed’’. “My father complained to Moulana Azad when he came to meet him…This way hatred was spread,’’ he said, adding that this hatred is being spread even today and till this goes, people cannot live in peace.