Srinagar, May 1: Peoples Conference (PC) Chairman Sajad Gani Lone Wednesday said that the voice of north Kashmir would resonate in the Parliament only if the people vote in favour of PC.
Talking to reporters after filing his nomination papers for the Baramulla Parliament constituency in the office of the Returning Officer (RO) Baramulla, Lone said that the people of Kashmir deserve to be represented by a new and different voice.
“Not only do the people of Kashmir deserve to be represented by a different voice but people of India also deserve that as they know exactly what is happening here,” he said.
Lone was accompanied by senior party leaders including Imran Raza Ansari and Abdul Gani Vakil besides Chairperson District Development Council (DDC) Baramulla Safina Baig.
Lone said that during the last 10 parliamentary elections, nine times Member Parliaments (MPs) from one particular party had represented north Kashmir but now new voices are needed to represent people at a juncture where there is a lot of confusion about reality.
“If we are given an opportunity, I promise that the voice of the people of north Kashmir will resonate in the Parliament,” he said.
Lone said that post 2019 it was the first election in Kashmir and was one of the most important elections.
The PC did not hold any public rallies while filing the nomination papers.
Lone said that they halted all political activities in the wake of the floods that wreaked havoc in north Kashmir.
“I have seen third-degree torture. I have been sent to jail. I was blindfolded for seven days. I was hung upside down. These things have been witnessed by 80 percent of Kashmiris,” he said. “There were others who issued orders from their bungalows about who to impose the PSA on, who to hang, who to send to jail, and who to torture. No one can challenge me about my role in all these things. Let NC people come and say that they did not sign any PSA and no one was hanged or sent to jail during their rule.”
Lone said that NC cannot claim that there was no torture during their time.
“During the NC government’s time from 1996 to 2002, 7000 civilians were killed. Where are they accounted for? When Omar Sahab (Abdullah) was the chief minister from 2008 to 2014, didn’t the 2010 episode happen and weren’t people killed,” he said
Lone said that NC was making tall claims of doing advocacy for Kashmiris.
“However, the reality is that their hands are filled with the blood of Kashmiris,” he said.
Lone said NC sent people to jails and brought POTA to Kashmir.
“I always talk about Police verification and nobody else speaks about it. They (NC) were in power, and it needed an SO to change the procedure but they did not change it,” he said.
Lone said that J&K was the only state in India where if any person in the extended family of 500 members makes a mistake, the Police verification certificate is adverse for the remaining 499.
“I am among those who have been downtrodden, who have faced oppression. This is a reality,” he said.
Lone said that the NC leaders were befooling people and that it was not possible to get back Article 370.
“We have to fight for our identity here, not in the Parliament. And if the INDIA bloc will give me in writing that they will bring back Article 370, Article 35 (A), and internal autonomy, I will withdraw my papers,” he said.
Lone said that there were three MPs from NC in Parliament yet Article 370 was revoked.
“Now, how will they bring it back? When they could not do anything when it was snatched from us, how can they bring it back,” he said.
Lone said that his party would raise a voice for the development and dignity of the people.
“We have a plan for broader development. Whatever the Centre gives to the people of Kashmir, it should be given with dignity as the people of Kashmir want to be equal with the people of the rest of India,” he said.