Jammu: Former chief minister and chairman of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), Dr Farooq Abdullah chaired an all-party meeting at his residence in Jammu on Saturday, where leaders of all parties participated.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the National Conference President said that any decision to grant voting rights to non-locals in Jammu and Kashmir will not be tolerated. Farooq addressed the press conference and said that "we are in touch with all the political parties in this regard". According to him, a decision was taken during the meeting that a committee will be formed to look into the whole matter.
He said that a meeting of almost all political parties was held in Jammu on Saturday during which the proposed decision to give the right to vote to non-locals was strongly condemned. Farooq further said that the leaders of various political parties participated in the meeting during which they unanimously decided that if non-locals are given the right to vote, they will raise their voice against it at all levels.
Meanwhile, after the meeting, senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla said that the BJP has lost its credibility in Jammu and Kashmir, so they are considering giving voting rights to non-locals. He said that during the meeting, all the political parties unanimously said that BJP's ambitions will not be allowed to succeed under any circumstances. Former minister Chaudhary Lal Singh said that all political parties took a decision to prevent non-locals from voting.
Also read: Farooq Abdullah asks J-K natives to register as voters to defeat 'vested powers'
He said that during the meeting it was decided that a committee would be formed to look into the whole matter. According to him, he is ready to do anything to save the identity of Jammu and Kashmir as BJP wants to give voting rights to non-locals so that they can easily form the government but they will never be allowed to do so.
While talking to reporters after the meeting, Shiv Sena leader Manish said that it was not a PAGD meeting but an all-party meeting. He said that the only agenda of the meeting was that non-local people should not be given the right to vote. According to him, leaders of 15 parties and heads of non-governmental organizations participated in this meeting, while in Kashmir, around eight parties participated, which shows that parties are connecting with this group day by day.
He said that since the matter is connected with people's emotions and feelings, that is why people are getting involved in it. According to him, BJP can go to any extent to get power and it has given voting rights to non-locals and brought people from Delhi and other states on the day of election to vote them back. And can also plan to send. The Shiv Sena leader made it clear that if the BJP's attitude continues, all the parties will unite and fight the elections on a single platform.
