Leaders should desist from making anti-national statements to gain cheap popularity
Brig. K.G. Behl, (Retd.)
Patron, Dehradun Ex-Services League,
The Statement of Sheikh Abdullah that the throwing of stones by the Kashmiri youngsters at defense personnel, is national cause, specially when the defense forces were trying to deal with terrorists, is not only wrong but anti nationalistic. Ex-Servicemen resent such statements. Govt. should take immediate election against him and the election commission should debar him from fighting the elections. His another election speech that since India and Pakistan had not been able to resolve the Kashmir issue so far, the US offer to act as a mediator be accepted by India, is equally deplorable. This Statement has probably been given to win the votes of Kashmiris since Sheikh Abdullah is fighting elections.
As you all know Sheikh Abdullah is a senior Kashmiri leader but his Statements many a times cause embarrassment to the Government and people. It appears that he is in league with the separatist and instead of bringing those people in the main stream he is towing their line to win elections. He should rather try to find out the exact number of people who are towing the idea of seperationals as those appear to be very few. How those few are managing such agitations for a long time and from where they are getting money to pay youngsters who are called by them to pelt stones on defense forces. They are simply inciting youngsters to create an atmosphere of disturbance and disturb peace which is against their own interest. Many students have suffered in the process, which could have been avoided had our leaders like Abdullah met the separatist and convinced them to join the national stream. It is a serious matter and Govt. must take strong action so that such statements are not given by other leaders and unnecessary bloodshed is avoided and peace prevails.
In this connection it may be added that the Chief of Army Staff has already stated that no interference will be tolerated in the work of defence forces when they are operating against the terrorists. To support pelting of stones by young Kashmiris on defence forces when they were actually involved in the action against terrorists is anti-national and should not be allowed.
