Farooq Abdullah bats for turning LoC into 'Line of Peace', cautions Centre against taking Kashmiris for granted

Jammu: Batting for conversion of LoC into ‘Line of peace and goodwill,’ National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Saturday cautioned Centre against taking the people of Jammu and Kashmir for granted and ignoring their legitimate aspirations. “The claims that demonetisation had put an end to stone pelting in Jammu and Kashmir have fallen flat as the youth were now taking to guns. The situation, therefore, cannot be allowed to drift anymore,” Abdullah said, addressing a public meeting at Mandi in Poonch district. The former chief minister called for earnest initiatives to reach out to the people and urged the Centre to resolve the issues which are essentially political in nature and try to win over the alienated hearts and minds by shunning the policy of “creating divisions”. [caption id=“attachment_4302875” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah. Firstpost/Sameer Yasir[/caption] The MP reiterated the need for India-Pakistan dialogue and said Line of Control (LoC) should be converted into ‘Line of Peace and Goodwill’ to enable unhindered people to people exchange and  trade between divided parts of Jammu and Kashmir. “Sooner the two nations appreciate the ground realities, better it would be for bringing thaw in the relations and ending hostilities of all sorts,” Abdullah said adding the wars in the past seven decades have not changed the reality of LoC. He said the border hostilities were detrimental for both India and Pakistan and any full-fledged conflict would lead to devastation and destruction in the region. Abdullah said conversion of LoC into Line of Peace would benefit people living along the borders on both sides, who have been braving the brunt of hostilities. He referred to the unimaginable sufferings caused to border dwellers due to dislocation from their homes and hearths in the wake of shelling and cross LoC firing, stating that unfortunately this has become a routine for the past few years. He said the country is passing through a difficult phase as attempts are being made to divide the society in the name of religion and caste and by encouraging sectarian divide. He referred to the violence over dilution of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and said machinations are being engineered to end reservation. “The present dispensation at the Centre is working against the interests of farmers, weaker sections, and minorities," he alleged, expressing concern over growing suicides of peasants. National Conference president also blamed the PDP-BJP dispensation in Jammu and Kashmir for failing on deliverance front, saying developmental inertia has taken toll of various utility services. “The lack of accountability and misgovernance have added to the miseries of the people, who are feeling let down on every front,” he claimed.