Srinagar, July 14: Political leader Dr. Jahanzaib Sirwal on Tuesday criticised the National Conference (NC) leadership, alleging that the party was attempting to appropriate the idea of the “Qaum” for political convenience. He maintained that no political party has the exclusive authority to define who represents the people or to issue certificates of loyalty and betrayal.
In a statement issued in response to speeches delivered during a National Conference programme, Dr. Sirwal termed it unfortunate that political opponents and those who chose not to participate were allegedly portrayed as being against the “Qaum.” He described such rhetoric as dangerous, divisive and contrary to democratic principles.
“The National Conference neither owns the Qaum nor speaks on behalf of every citizen of Jammu and Kashmir. The Qaum is far bigger than any political party, family or ideology. It comprises every citizen, irrespective of political affiliation, religion, region or opinion,” he said.
Dr. Sirwal further observed that the National Conference had, for years, built its political narrative around the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A. However, he claimed that recent speeches by the party leadership appeared to focus primarily on the restoration of statehood, administrative powers and greater control over governance.
“People are entitled to draw their own conclusions from this shift in priorities. Political narratives must be judged by what leaders demand today, not merely by what they promised yesterday,” he remarked.
The political leader also said that branding political dissent as betrayal reflected intolerance rather than democratic confidence. “Democracy flourishes through debate and disagreement, not by intimidating citizens with labels of ‘traitor’ simply because they refuse to attend a political gathering or endorse a particular party’s agenda,” he stated.
Dr. Sirwal asserted that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have repeatedly demonstrated political maturity and no longer accept emotional slogans as a substitute for governance, development and accountability.
“The Qaum deserves honesty, not political monopolies over its identity. No single party can claim to be its sole custodian,” he said.
Concluding his statement, Dr. Sirwal said the future of Jammu and Kashmir must be built on democratic values, constitutional politics and respect for differing viewpoints.
“The era of self-appointed guardians deciding who belongs to the Qaum and who does not must come to an end. The people themselves are the ultimate judges in a democracy,” he added.
