The Hindu : NC supports BJP on Modi issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 20, 2002

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NC supports BJP on Modi issue

By Shujaat Bukhari

JAMMU APRIL 19. The National Conference (NC) today came out openly to support the Bharatiya Janata Party on the issue of dismissal of the Narendra Modi Government in Gujarat but, in the same breath, vowed to fight communalism at all costs and strengthen secularism in the country.

The party formally asked the Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Omar Abdullah, to return to the State and take the reins of the party. After the working committee meeting of the party which was held under the chairmanship of its president and Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, here this morning, the senior NC leader and Housing Minister, Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah, told a news conference that from reiterating its stand on secularism to autonomy and asking Omar Abdullah to come to the State to take responsibility of the party, a number of resolutions were passed. The party also ruled out any possibility of withdrawing support to the BJP-led Government at the Centre in order to keep up with its policy of avoiding a confrontationist attitude with the Union Government.

In a resolution, it came out in support of the BJP on the dismissal of the Modi Government. ``It is the BJP's matter. It is a matter of Gujarat's people as electorate,'' Mr. Shah told a questioner. ``What right have we to ask them to dismiss the Government? It is the legislature of the State and the Centre has to decide.'' It was up to the BJP to judge what was good or bad for them. ``It can be decided on the floor of the House and not outside.'' The NC had no differences with the NDA and ``we have believed the statement of the Prime Minister which he has given in denial of the Goa.''

Appreciating the role played by Omar Abdullah as the Union Minister, the party was of the opinion that time had come for him to come back and assist the State and the party. ``Sometime in May we are holding a convention to give a formal shape to his return,'' Mr. Shah said, adding that he would take over as the party president. It is time for the youth to come and the older people would guide them.

The dates for elections were not discussed, as it was up to the State Government to decide but ``we took stock of situation ahead of the elections.'' Accordingly, he said a drafting committee headed by the general secretary, Sheikh Nazir Ahmed, was constituted which would draft the manifesto of the party.

The other members are Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah, A.R. Rather, Mohammad Shafi Uri, Bodh Raj Bali, M.Y. Teng, Sadiq Ali and Lama Thicksay. Mr. Shah ruled out alliance with any political party in the elections.

On militancy, the committee passed a resolution and said, ``we are committed to meet the challenge and the Government is doing its best to fight terrorism. But the main responsibility lies with the Centre which has resources and can get rid of the problem at a bigger level. We want peace and that alone is our agenda.''

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