MT News Service
Srinagar, March 9:
National Conference (NC) held a central working committee (CWC) at the party headquarters Nawa-e-Subha here. During meeting party members asserted that “escalating level” of violence in the Union Territory was “alarming” and “contrary” to the claims of peace.
Intolerance is at its peak in Jammu and Kashmir and this is not how pluralistic democracies work, the National Conference claimed on Wednesday.
The meeting was presided over by party president Farooq Abdullah while vice president Omar Abdullah and general secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar.
During meeting, the members gave their estimation of the prevailing situation with regards to the “deteriorating” security situation, “development deficit.”
The CWC unanimously resolved that intolerance in Jammu and Kashmir “is at its peak”, saying this is not how pluralistic democracies work.
“The clampdown in the case of working journalists and media personalities is more insidious.
CWC unanimously condemned the muzzling of the press and called upon the government to release all incarcerated journalists,” the NC said.
The party said the trend of rolling out criminal charges and intimidation against journalists is highly deplorable.
Asking the Centre to refrain from “using state apparatus” for “arm twisting and intimidating” journalists, the CWC members said there is “complete intolerance” towards even a single critical word.
“The members demanded revocation of all charges against journalists and also sought immediate release of those who are undergoing confinement.
The members also expressed deep concern over the environment of political intolerance,” the party said.
The CWC reiterated that it will fight using all peaceful, legal and democratic means to reverse the changes of August 5, 2019.
The Centre had revoked the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and split it into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019.
“They (CWC members) maintained that there can be no trade-off between the political aspirations and development needs of people and that both should go hand in hand,” it said.
The party also sought to remind PM Modi about his much touted statement about removing ”dil ki doori and Dilli ki doori” at the all-party meet in New Delhi in June last year.
