Campaigning for the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, National Conference Vice President, Omar Abdullah invoked the legacy of his grandfather Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah and the Land to Tiller movement.
Speaking historic facts, Omar Abdullah said that the Mahraja of Kashmir had confiscated all the land possession rights after he purchased Kashmir for 75 Lakh Nanashahi in the 19th century. “Not just politically, we are also economic slaves of the landlords whose lands we tilled. Then a leader, Sheikh Abdullah was born who wanted to work for the betterment and progress of his people.”
“One of the biggest contributions of Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah other than land to Tiller was the Article 370. We are being taken back to that age of slavery, as they are trying to snatch our lands on one side and are trying to disempower us politically since 2018. We are being defamed only, they also snatched our lands granted to us under the Roshni Act and have been constantly trying to take away the Kahcharai land. They have given us nothing other than promises,”Omar Abdullah told the crowds in Kupwara.
Omar said that all the jobs have been snatched and outsiders are being brought here. “The toll tax is being collected by outsiders, the sand taken by outsiders who are even bringing their labour from outside. All Kashmiris have got is the menace of drugs and unwanted alcohol shops everywhere.”
He said that the policy of retribution must end. “Militant families do not need to treated as militants and the families of separatists do not need to pay for their activities,” Omar Abdullah said, adding that National conference had ended this policy when they were in rule.
Appealing the people to vote for National conference he said that people from diverse ideologies need to come together to fight for the rights of people of Kashmir. “National conference cannot fight this fight alone, we have to add more friends from Kashmir to fight this fight along with us,” Omar Abdullah said.