Asking Pakistan to reign in terror for lasting peace in the region, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah today batted strongly for Indo-Pak dialogue to normalise relations between the neighbouring nations.
"Islamabad must rein in terror ranks for lasting peace in the region," Abdullah said while addressing NC workers here.
"India and Pakistan had no option but to talk... Unless tackled, peace inimical elements will continue to cast shadow over normalisation process between the two neighbouring countries," the former Union Minister said.
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Emphasising on the need for carrying forward the dialogue process, he recalled the observations of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, made on the banks of Kishen Ganga in Tangdhar, that friends can be changed, not neighbours.
The two nations, the National Conference President said, cannot wish away each other, therefore Islamabad and New Delhi must take ahead the current initiative.
On the political uncertainty in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah said that the state is passing through a difficult phase.
Asking the party cadre to close their ranks for meeting challenges faced by the state, he said the NC has braved all obstacles courageously with active support of the people.
"A strong National Conference is answer to all the problems confronted to the state", he said.
He described those years as difficult and recited a famous couplet, 'Mein akela hi chala tha janbe manzil, log milte gaye karwaan banta gaya'.
The former chief minister also emphasised the need for strengthening bonds of amity and unity, and said the state cannot progress unless equal opportunities of progress and development were made available to all, irrespective of caste, creed, colour and religion.
"Any attempt to divide society in bits and pieces on the basis of religion is detrimental for its harmonious growth," he said and dwelt over certain recent unfortunate developments across the country.
He recalled his meeting with Narendra Modi at a function in Gujarat in 2011 wherein he had invited the attention of participants towards strengthening secularism for larger good of the country.
"I had told Modi that I want to see the day in my life when I would look in his (Modi's) eyes and would be able to see my Allah, and when he (Modi) looks in my eyes, he will see his Ram," he said.
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Abdullah said that peoples' aspirations hold paramount importance in democratic polity and the moment ruling elite suffers from the mistaken belief of being 'kings' they get distanced from the masses.
"NC firmly believes that people are the fountain head of power," he said, adding that with this as the core of his party's philosophy, a major stride was taken in 1996 to steer Jammu and Kashmir on the path of democracy.
Mentioning a tragic road mishap in Udhampur district which claimed eleven lives, Abdullah said corruption had hollowed the system.
He attributed growing road accidents to traffic mismanagement and overloading and said these should be addressed on a priority for saving lives.
Earlier, the National Conference President visited the residences of Des Raj and Kehar Singh, two prominent party workers, at Katra and Udhampur to condole their demise and also prayed for peace for the departed souls.
