JAMMU: National Conference General Secretary and Khanyar MLA Ali Mohammad Sagar has once again stirred controversy by advocating for talks with Pakistan in the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly. Reiterating his previous remarks, Sagar on Wednesday insisted that dialogue with Islamabad is essential to ending violence in the region.
Reacting strongly, Senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma launched a scathing attack on Sagar and the National Conference (NC), accusing them of repeatedly siding with Pakistan.
“The DNA of the National Conference is infused with Pakistan, and they never miss a chance to prove it. Today, yet again, Ali Mohammad Sagar has pushed for talks with Pakistan to set an example,” Sharma said, addressing reporters.
Sharma also criticized J&K Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, alleging that he tolerates anti-national statements in the House.
“I have raised objections to such remarks in the past and even written to the Speaker. But it appears he, too, supports this narrative. Today, I am compelled to question his credibility,” Sharma added, asserting that the NC’s ideology is rooted in separatism and pro-Pakistan rhetoric.
On the other hand, Senior Congress leader and MLA Tariq Hamid Karra offered a more neutral stance, emphasizing that dialogue is the key to conflict resolution.
“In any situation, open channels of communication must be maintained. It is crucial never to shut the doors to dialogue, as it is the foundation for resolving disputes,” Karra stated.
Previously, on March 5, Ali Mohammad Sagar advocated a dialogue with Pakistan to end “bloodshed” in J&K, saying “the silence of graveyards should not be construed as peace”.
Participating in discussions on the motion of thanks to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s address in the assembly, Sagar had launched a scathing attack on the BJP, and asked the Centre to restore statehood to the Union Territory by accepting the reality that people have given a decisive mandate to the National Conference (NC)
Whenever Dr Saheb (National Conference President Dr. Farooq Abdullah) highlights the need for talks with Pakistan, the BJP gets irked… There is no doubt that Pakistan is a failed state but you have to take them on board to end the bloodshed in Kashmir,” Sagar, a former minister and seven-time MLA, said.
A “silence of graveyard” has been established in Kashmir, which is harmful for the long run, he claimed.
