Targets BJP, RSS for ‘destroying’ composite culture of UT

(Asian News Hub) – Congress leader and Member Parliament Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that he belongs to a Kashmiri Pandit family and feels home like vibes after visiting Jammu and Kashmir.

Rahul, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), accused Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly “destroying composite culture of J&K.”

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Wrapping up his two-day Jammu visit, Rahul while addressing a workers convention in Jammu’s Trikuta Nagar, said: “Whenever I come to Jammu and Kashmir, I feel home like vibes. I realized it at Vaishno Devi Darbar too.”

He said: “My family has a long relationship with Jammu and Kashmir. I’m a Kashmiri Pandit and my family is Kashmiri Pandit. Today morning, a delegation of Kashmiri Pandits met me. They told me that Congress implemented many welfare schemes for them, but BJP has done nothing.”

Rahul further said: “I promise my Kashmiri Pandit brothers that I will do something definitely for them.”

He said that he will soon visit Ladakh region.

The Congress leader accused the RSS-BJP combine of trying to break the composite culture of J&K.

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“The feeling of love, brotherhood and composite culture exists among you all. I feel sad that the RSS and BJP are trying to break this culture,” Rahul said, addressing workers. “They (RSS, BJP) attack love and brotherhood! You got weakened and as a result, they took away your statehood.”

The Congress leader exhorted the gathering to chant ‘Jai Mata Di’, a day after he paid obeisance at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra. Invoking the Goddess in his speech, Gandhi said, “I went to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine yesterday. There are three symbols of mata (pindis) there – Mata Durga, Mata Lakshmi and Mata Saraswati. Goddess Durga protects us, Lakshmi is a symbol of power, and Saraswati symbolises education and knowledge.”

He said that the BJP government’s policies like demonetisation and GST have weakened their powers.

Pointing towards his hand, Rahul co-related the Congress election symbol with Lord Shiva and Guru Nanak Dev, and said “it was the symbol of being fearless.”

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“This hand is the symbol that you should not be afraid of anything,” he said, adding that the “BJP is afraid of everything.”

Former Chief Minister and Leader in Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad while addressing the gathering maintained the Jammu and Kashmir witnessed development in triple shifts during Congress and PDP collation government rule, when he was chief Minister.

Rajni Patil, In-charge Jammu and Kashmir Congress came heavily on fractions within the party and said that indiscipline would not be tolerated as nobody is above the party despite of his political stature.

Earlier, Rahul was given a rousing reception at the Jammu airport on his arrival earlier in the day and Congress members, including top leaders, welcomed him with beats of dolaks.

On Thursday, Rahul Gandhi paid obeisance at the Mata Vaishnodevi temple. He reached the shrine after undertaking a “14-km-long yatra” on foot through the Trikuta hills from Katra base camp, said party leaders.

Rahul also met with the head pujari and the aarti pujari at the Bhawan and was blessed by them. During his trek to the shrine, the former Congress president was flanked by several leaders, including Mir.

Taliban must ensure protection of human rights, follow Islamic principles, build good relation with rest of world; NC will participate in Assembly polls but Centre must restore Statehood first

(Asian News Hub) – National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah Wednesday said that his party will not shy away from participating in the Assembly polls but Centre must first restore statehood before announcing elections.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of 39th death anniversary of NC patriarch Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah at his mausoleum at Hazratbal, Srinagar, Dr Farooq said: “I don’t know when elections would be held. Whenever they are held, we won’t shy away and rather participate and win as well. The Centre must first restore statehood before holding polls.”

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The NC chief said that his party is committed to fight for the restoration of Statehood and Article 370. “There is no change in our stance. We are fighting and will continue to fight,” he said as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

About Taliban’s takeover, the NC chief said that Taliban must protect human rights in Afghanistan. “They must follow Islamic principles in spirit and build good relations with rest of the world,” Dr Farooq said.

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Says issue of filing FIR against his family ‘too little’ in democratic India

(Asian News Hub) – Former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti Monday said that treatment meted to the body of veteran separatist leader, Syed Ali Geelani was uncalled for, and said that one can fight with living person, but the dead body must not get indifferent treatment.

Talking to the media persons, Mehbooba as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) correspondent said that the videos and news reports have shown that the people of Jammu and Kashmir were quite disappointed.

She said that “you can fight with a person when he is alive, but once dead, you need to respect the body like others.”

Replying to a query about the cases filed against Geelani’s family for raising slogans and covering his body with Pakistani flag, she said that India is a biggest democratic country and these issues are not too little. “The government should have allowed the family to perform the last rites of Geelani as per the wishes,” she said.

Mehbooba added that she too had differences with Geelani, but the dead body must not get indifferent treatment, saying that “what we have seen was against humanity. Everybody’s last wishes are to be respected. The incident witnessed was against the cultural identity of India.”

She also added that nobody can force anyone to love or hate any leader on the barrel of a gun.