Kashmir has been pushed to Economic & Democratic disconnect with the rest of India: National Conference

The National Conference (NC) on Monday claimed that Kashmir has been pushed to an economic and democratic disconnect with the rest of the country and that the ‘discomfiture’ has equally been felt by the Kashmiri Pandit community.

NC general secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar made these comments while welcoming Ashok Kumar Bharti, the vice-chairman of the Shopian Municipal Committee, into the party fold.

Bharti, who was affiliated with the BJP, joined the NC along with scores of his supporters. Among others who joined the NC are Shushma Bali, Chander Kumar Bali, Rajinder Koul, and Manoj Koul.

According to an NC statement, Sagar said, ‘Kashmir has been pushed to economic and democratic disconnect with the rest of the country, and that discomfiture has equally been felt by Kashmiri Pandit community.’ Addressing the event, NC provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani said Kashmiri Pandits are part of the pluralistic culture of Kashmir.

Meanwhile, NC president Farooq Abdullah called for expediting the pace of the party’s membership drive and asked all provincial, zonal, and district functionaries to lend all support to strengthen the organisation at all levels.

In order to stand up for the people of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh, it is important for the party functionaries to work for strengthening the organisation, Abdullah said.

Abdullah asked the party functionaries to prepare for organisational polls to be held after the conclusion of the membership drive.