Veteran National Conference (NC) leader and MLA Khanyar, Ali Mohammad Sagar, on Wednesday reiterated the demand for holding dialogue with Pakistan over Kashmir, terming talks inevitable for lasting peace in the region.
Sagar, while speaking during the discussion on grants in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, emphasized that time has proven again and again that dialogue is necessary for peace and stability in the region.
He urged the BJP to focus on fostering sustainable dialogue rather than creating divisions among people.
“We want Gandhi’s, not Godse’s India. This country is like a garden with all kinds of flowers. You cannot call it a garden when you place flowers of the same color all across. The beauty lies in diversity. We must not divide people. At the same time, it is imperative for us to understand that talks with Pakistan are a must. Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee and even Narendra Modi went to Pakistan and held dialogue. You, BJP people, must go to Delhi and tell your party to talk to Pakistan,” Sagar said.
The NC veteran also criticized the BJP for undermining Maharaja Hari Singh’s legacy by downgrading a fully empowered state to a Union Territory. “What respect have you accorded to Maharaja Hari Singh? Even Maharaja Hari Singh’s son, Dr. Karan Singh, said that this is the first time a state has been turned into a Union Territory,” Sagar remarked during his address.
He further assured that all promises made in the NC manifesto would be fulfilled and that the Omar Abdullah-led administration is actively working toward this goal. “All promises will be fulfilled—be it employment or the restoration of special status. We are the party founded by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. Even in 1996, when democratic rights were being denied, it was the National Conference, led by Dr. Farooq Abdullah, that jumped into the fray and restored people’s rights,” Sagar said—(KNO)
