BJP making 'incremental assaults' on democracy, country's federal structure: NC

NC general secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar made the remarks while presiding over a meeting of the party's zone presidents and district presidents at its headquarters Nawa-e-Subah here. The BJP's "incremental assaults on Indian democracy and its federal structure" started with the "dismemberment of Jammu and Kashmir and stripping it of its constitutional rights," he said.

The National Conference (NC) on Tuesday accused the BJP of making "incremental assaults" on democracy and the country's federal structure, saying it started with the "dismemberment of Jammu and Kashmir and stripping it of its constitutional rights". NC general secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar made the remarks while presiding over a meeting of the party's zone presidents and district presidents at its headquarters Nawa-e-Subah here.

The BJP's "incremental assaults on Indian democracy and its federal structure" started with the "dismemberment of Jammu and Kashmir and stripping it of its constitutional rights," he said. "No longer constrained by anything, the BJP, ever since it has come to power, has bulldozed the secular visage of the country by unilaterally and unconstitutionally rescinding J-K's special status," Sagar claimed. He said the "unilateral, unconstitutional and undemocratic" decisions have been rejected by the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. The NC leader said the "spiteful" decisions taken by the ruling dispensation at New Delhi have not fared well in any region of Jammu and Kashmir. "The peaceful struggle embarked by party president Farooq Abdullah for the restoration of the rights of people of J-K and Ladakh is reflective of the aspirations of the people living in every nook and corner," he said.

The fervour and enthusiasm with which people from all walks of life are meeting Abdullah-led PAGD is reflective of the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, he said, referring to the efforts of the NC president in the formation of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) -- an alliance with other mainstream parties in the valley seeking restoration of the special status that was revoked by the Centre on August 5 last year. The BJP, on other hand, stands "unmasked" before the people who have lately perceived its "divisive agenda", he added.

Sagar said the unified voice of the people in the shape of PAGD has attested to the fact that they have rejected the measures taken on the August 5 last year and all the successive "black laws" which were supplanted subsequently on people through notification and executive orders without the democratic consent of the people. "I am hopeful that with Abdullah in the vanguard, the PAGD will be able to restore what was snatched from the people spitefully. Our unity has sent them to a tizzy, on account of their failure to present a genuine narrative to our just struggle. No power on earth can deter us from our resolve, we, God willing, will have our rights restored to us," he said. The NC general secretary alleged the "unconstitutional nullification" of Articles 370 and 35-A is a part of a bigger agenda of the BJP to make the country homogeneous and "rob it of its prized diversity and socio-cultural plurality".  "The BJP was supplanting its own agenda as the agenda of the country. The promised development to Jammu and Kashmir has met the same fate as that of the promised 'Ache Din' to country," he said.

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