Leadership of Gandhi-Nehru inspired Kashmiris to be part of India: Cong leader

Congress leader G A Mir said today that the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru had inspired the people of Kashmir to be a part of India.

The Jammu and Kashmir unit president of the Congress was addressing a party convention organised to mark the 54th death anniversary of the first prime minister.

Nehru, who was born on November 14, 1889, died on May 27, 1964.

It was the leadership of Gandhi-Nehru which inspired the people of Kashmir and their leadership to reject the two nation theory of (Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali) Jinnah and decide to seal their fate with a secular India, Mir said here.

In an apparent dig at the BJP, he said those criticising Nehru on the Kashmir issue were either unaware of the historical role played by him or doing so because of their political compulsions.

They are doing a great disservice to the nation and the great leader who deserved the tributes for bringing Kashmir closer to the idea of India and ultimately accede to it, he said.

Mir exhorted the party cadres to remain steadfast on the basic principles of secularism, socialism and unity in diversity as a fundamental ideology of the Congress.

Taking a dig at the PDP-BJP coalition government in the state, he said the two diametrically opposite forces betrayed their electorate when they entered into a power-sharing arrangement devoid of any ideological meeting point.

It is the reason that this government is responsible for creating social disharmony and political uncertainty in the state rather than cementing the bonds of unity and peace, he said.

Mir cautioned the people against the designs of communal and divisive forces and vested political interests who were trying to create wedge in the society in order to achieve their political goal.

The result of it (doing politics on sensitive issues) is that the situation in the state continues to deteriorate, which is a matter of great concern, he said.

He said the Congress was the only secular and unifying force in the state, which had always strengthened secularism and would continue to safeguard the secular fabric of the country and the state.

He said his party would never compromise with the communal forces in the state for the sake of power.