Srinagar, Oct 25: Peoples Conference chairman and Handwara MLA Sajad Gani Lone on Saturday accused the National Conference (NC) of betraying public trust and “killing merit” through its handling of reservations, while alleging that Kashmiri candidates are deliberately being sidelined from government job opportunities.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Lone said his party will launch a “full-fledged campaign” against the current reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir, including ground-level registration drives, door-to-door outreach, and, if necessary, hunger strikes and mass protests. “Enough is enough,” he warned.
Lone also attacked the NC over the recent Rajya Sabha elections, claiming that seven NC MLAs “directly gifted their votes to the BJP.” “It was a fixed match,” he said, accusing the NC of being “hand in glove” with the BJP despite presenting itself as an opposition force. He further alleged that Congress was deliberately denied a winnable seat while the NC ensured BJP-backed candidates succeeded.
Criticizing NC vice president Omar Abdullah, Lone said the party’s past Rajya Sabha members had failed to deliver substantial results in Delhi, focusing instead on personal favors. He described NC’s approach as “submissive before Delhi” and alleged “betrayal after betrayal” around the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
“The BJP ensures the victory of its own candidates through these same people. They abuse BJP during elections to fool voters, but they are working together behind the scenes,” Lone said, asserting that his own party stayed away from the alleged “corrupt process.”
The Peoples Conference chief vowed to mobilize public awareness against both the reservation policy and what he called “long-standing political deception” by the NC. (Agencies)
