Democratic and secular ethos of state under threat: NC

Asking the people of the state to unite and fight against the divisive forces, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference today said that the very idea of a democratic and secular state as envisioned by party founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was under threat.
"We are at the crossroads of our history where secular credentials are at stake in the wake of elements inimical to amity and tranquillity taking center-stage," NC Provincial President Devender Singh Rana said while leading the senior party leaders and workers in paying homage to Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah on his 110 Birth Anniversary here today.
Referring to the atmosphere of mistrust and intolerance generated by divisive forces, Rana expressed concern over the situation having taken such a turn in which the people were being singled out on the basis of their religious identities.

"The very idea of a democratic and secular state as envisioned by party founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah is under threat.
"The minorities are feeling a sense of insecurity, a phenomenon which was never ever witnessed in the country. We should be proud of our religion but at the same time we must respect other religions too, which is essence of all the religions," he said.
Rana also referred to the machinations being made by "divisive parties like BJP" to trifurcate the state and repeal Article 35 A of the Indian Constitution.

"This was a sinister move to muzzle the identity of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. The public opinion was being misled by describing this proviso as region specific," he said.

He said that the Act is a safeguard to the provision in the Constitution by the erstwhile Maharaja in the state laws to protect the rights of the state subjects.
He urged the people to maintain vigil against such attempts and foil the attempts of those weakening time tested amity in the state.
"The people of Jammu are progressive in their outlook and they had not mandated the BJP to browbeat minorities," he said.
While paying tributes to the late party founder, Rana made a mention of the great role played by Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah during horrendous period of the partition by keeping the flag of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh unity aloft.

"His message of communal amity traversed the boundaries and the Father of the Nation acknowledged it in his words of wisdom by saying that the light of amity actually emanated from Kashmir," he said.
Rana paid rich homage to the late leader, saying whenever the history of Jammu and Kashmir will be re-written; it will be incomplete without the mention of Sheikh Abdullah.