LS polls | Murtaza, Safina caution BJP against fielding ‘paratrooper’ in Anantnag, Baramulla

Jammu, Mar 26: Senior Pahari leader and former MLC Murtaza Khan and DDC Baramulla chairperson Safina Baig Tuesday sounded a note of caution for BJP against “fielding any paratrooper” to contest in Anantnag or Baramulla parliamentary constituencies.

“Don’t contemplate supporting any such candidate without consulting the Pahari community, which is committed to support BJP to repay for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status accorded to it,” they emphasised.

“Recent reports, which may be speculations that the party (BJP) is contemplating not to field its own candidate in the North and South parliamentary constituencies of Kashmir and instead will support some groups or “paratrooper (outsider politician)”, have created apprehensions among the Pahari community. Our contention is that BJP should not take any such step without consulting the Pahari community. BJP can field any candidate that is its prerogative yet before taking any call, it should take Pahari leadership on board,” they asserted, while addressing a joint press conference, held under the aegis of J&K Pahari Cultural and Welfare Forum (PCWF) at Press Club, Jammu.

J&K Pahari Cultural and Welfare Forum, the apex body of the Pahari community of Jammu and Kashmir, is led by veteran Pahari leader and former J&K Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig.

“For BJP, we have a single request - Don’t create a situation by fielding a person about whom it becomes difficult for us to persuade our community to vote for the person. See, there are two things, we have committed to BJP to support its candidate, and not proxy, to repay for what the party (BJP) did for us. Secondly, for Anantnag and Baramulla constituencies, we want that the candidate should be local, voter of that particular constituency and not a “paratrooper.” If BJP is unable to take that call and it has decided something else, in that case, it must consult Pahari leadership- that is precisely our contention,” Murtaza Khan explained.

When asked if their reference was to the former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, both Murtaza and Safina refused to name any person.

Safina also echoed similar sentiments. When asked if the former Deputy Chief Minister (Baig) was contemplating to contest, Safina said, “So far, nothing has been decided on this account.” Regarding speculations about possibility of BJP fielding him or supporting his candidature, she stated, “No, there was nothing like that.”

Earlier flanked by a number of Pahari leaders, they reiterated their thankfulness and gratitude towards the Government of India for the historical act of granting ST status to the community. Terming it as a huge step to create harmony amongst the various communities notified as ST, they also expressed satisfaction over the LG administration's decision to create a separate block for the newly inducted and the existing ST communities on the reservation list. The leaders also reiterated their commitment to extend wholehearted support to the BJP candidates in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

They said that some leaders who had a history of creating and widening a divide between Gujjars and Paharis in Jammu and Kashmir were seen claiming the backing of the BJP, and they implored that such “skydivers didn't deserve any encouragement.”

The Pahari leaders appealed to the central leadership to “discard the people with sinister designs, dubious agendas, and divisive motives.” They expressed their sincere hope that the BJP leadership would take the necessary steps to foster a congenial atmosphere that would encourage the Paharis to support BJP in large numbers.

They also stated that soon they would take the entire Pahari leadership on board, cutting across the party affiliations and reaching out to other communities in Pir Panjal and north Kashmir to forge unity amongst the marginalised sections and play a vital role in the national interest. Those who attended the press conference included Thakur Flail Singh, ex-bureaucrats Mohd Naseem Malik, Nissar Khan besides others.