Srinagar May 12 (UNI) Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday came down on the National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party for exacerbating division with Gujjar, Kashmiri and Pahari communities in Jammu and Kashmir.
“NC and PDP are exacerbating divisions within Gujjar, Kashmiri, and Pahari, despite their shared heritage and religion”, Azad alleged while addressing the road shows in south Kashmir’s Kulgam districts on Sunday.
Azad stressed the importance of solidarity among the Gujjar, Kashmiri, and Pahari communities, and condemned the divisive tactics aimed at segregating Kashmiris along ethnic lines, noting the parallels with historical divisions between Muslims and Hindus.
He urged the electorate to support a party committed to fostering unity and rejecting discrimination.
Azad cautioned against the exploitation of people by those seeking to sow discord between Kashmiris and non-Kashmiris, vowing to ensure justice for all communities.
“I’m deeply pained to witness how they initially divided people based on religion, sowing discord between Hindus and Muslims. And now, they’re further fragmenting communities of the same faith. They’ve become the biggest adversaries of these people. If they truly cared, they would unite all communities and prioritize the well-being of everyone, regardless of caste or creed”, the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said.
“During my tenure as chief minister, I never discriminated against anyone be it Hindus or Muslims, Paharis, Gujjars, or Kashmiris. It breaks my heart to see these parties, failing in their development efforts, resorting to dividing people”, he said. Azad vowed to champion the concerns of the people.
Azad expressed dismay over the exploitation of innocent voters who place their trust in leaders only to be let down later.
He questioned the necessity of bringing candidates from other districts to contest seats in South Kashmir, suggesting it reflects a failure on the part of NC MPs to effectively represent their constituents.
He stated that if they had raised public issues, there would have been no need for such actions.
