NC raises concern over 'rising' communalism, bigotry in country

Opposition National Conference (NC) today said the "rising tide" of "communalism and bigotry" in the country is a cause of great concern for Jammu and Kashmir and its people.
"Minorities, especially Muslims, are being hounded across the country as intolerance, communalism and bigotry is not only being openly patronised, but also unabashedly advocated by various Members of Parliament and even ministers belonging to a certain political party," NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar said here.
Sagar was addressing a function at the party head office here to commemorate the third death anniversary of party's former general secretary Sheikh Nazir.
Sagar said Nazir stood for his principles all his life and chose his values and the service of the people over power and personal empowerment.

"Nazir Sahib's life is a story of sacrifice and dedication to serving the state and its people. He stood for the defence of our honour and our political rights till his last breath. These very values are under threat today both within the state and on account of powers that be in the country," the NC general secretary said.
He said the "opportunistic" PDP-BJP alliance has "wreaked havoc" with the sense of dignity of the state and PDP's "complete sell-out" to the BJP has amounted to a weakening of our political status and identity.

"The atmosphere of intolerance and communalism is being fanned and patronised by those who have been entrusted with the trust to safeguard it," he said.

Earlier in the morning, senior party leaders and legislators offered prayers at the Nazir's grave at his ancestral graveyard at Malik Sahib in Soura.
The NC leaders lashed out at Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and the state government over the "non-serious and chaotic" handling of rape and murder case of an eight-year-old in Kathua and said, "the CM, it seemed, had succumbed to pressure to inhibit the pace of the investigation".