SURANKOTE, Sept 22: Farooq Abdullah, President of the National Conference (NC), delivered a passionate address on Monday, emphasizing that the ongoing Jammu and Kashmir elections are not a matter of religion, but one of action and unity. Speaking at a rally in Surankote, he urged people to support the NC-Congress alliance in the polls, framing the contest as a fight against the forces of hatred that, according to him, are working to divide the nation and weaken its fabric for political gain.
Abdullah, a former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, stressed that this election is a pivotal moment in countering the divisive agenda being spread by certain political groups. “This election is not about dharm (religion) but karm (action),” Abdullah said, underlining the importance of taking decisive action against those who are sowing discord across India. He further urged voters to stand united against parties that promote hate for political power.
Taking aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Abdullah criticized the Prime Minister’s earlier remarks during the Lok Sabha campaign regarding the “mangalsutra” and Muslims, which he interpreted as attempts to stoke communal tensions. Referring to the PM’s insinuation that Congress would divert public resources to infiltrators and families with more children, Abdullah condemned the divisive rhetoric. “These are the same people who cannot thrive without spreading hatred. If we want to end this cycle of hatred, we must unite,” Abdullah stressed.
Joining Abdullah at the rally was Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, as both leaders campaigned for the Congress-NC alliance candidate, Mohammad Shahnawaz, contesting from the Surankote assembly segment in Poonch. Abdullah urged the public to vote for the alliance, symbolized by the Congress’s hand symbol, as a step toward national unity and communal harmony.
“This fight is against the hate and division the BJP and RSS are trying to spread throughout the country. They are attempting to drive wedges between Hindus and Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs, and Hindus and Christians. But their strategy is faltering, and the time has come to defeat them,” he declared.
Abdullah also questioned the silence of the NC’s political opponents when inflammatory statements are made, saying, “Why haven’t these leaders responded to the threats of division and discord? If we want to stop this, we must unite.”
In a direct call for unity, Abdullah explained the motivation behind the NC and Congress partnership, stating, “We realized that to challenge these forces, we needed to join hands and make sacrifices. This is why we have united, and we appeal to you to do the same.”
Calling for solidarity, Abdullah urged members of all communities — Hindus, Muslims, Gujjars, Shias, Sunnis, and Kashmiris — to come together in the fight against hatred. Citing the words of Mahatma Gandhi, he echoed the message of love over hate, stating, “The people of Jammu and Kashmir want to crush the vehicle of hatred and drive the vehicle of love throughout India.”
In his closing appeal, Abdullah urged voters to press the button for the NC-Congress alliance in the upcoming elections, assuring that this victory would alleviate their struggles. He also addressed Choudhary Mohammad Akram, a rebel candidate running against the Congress in Surankote, asking him to withdraw from the race for the greater good of the alliance.
“Your continued candidacy only strengthens those forces that do not wish to see peace. I urge you to step aside and make this alliance a success for the future of Jammu and Kashmir,” Abdullah concluded.
#FarooqAbdullah #JKElections2024 #UniteAgainstHate #CongressNCAlliance #ActionNotReligion #SurankoteRally #EndDivisivePolitics #VoteForUnity #NoToHatred #ModiRemarks #KarmNotDharm #DefeatHatePolitics #JammuAndKashmir #StandTogether #StrengthenIndia