NC goes back to traditional policy of deceit: PDP

Srinagar, Nov 23 (UNI) The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a key coalition partner in Jammu and Kashmir, today accused the main opposition National Conference (NC) of reverting back to its age-old tactics of deceit and emotional blackmail to grab power.

A PDP spokesman said the barrage of ''verbal acrobatics'' and contradictory statements by NC leaders recently not only brought open inherent contradictions within the party but also depict the desperation and frustration engulfing its ranks.

''While NC Patron Farooq Abdullah challenges the accession over human rights violations, his son and party President Omar Abdullah skillfully oppose troop reduction and AFSPA revocation by dragging in China and Pakistan in the issue,'' he added.

The spokesman said the party was not only tight-lipped over the troop cut issue by design but also making overt and covert moves to sabotage any such process.

''In November 2006, (Omar) Abdullah had declared that his party is going to make a clean sweep in the Assembly polls. What has happened during the past one year that the NC chief now had to say that he cannot aim too high as it would be a tough election.'' He said this statement should prove an eye-opener for NC cadres as it ''speaks a lot about the morale'' of its leadership.

''And Dr Abdullah's frequent outbursts that the coming elections will be rigged is like announcing defeat for his party even before going to the battlefield.'' The spokesman said the NC leaders were today shedding crocodile tears over the human rights violations and the killing of the youth.

''They don't remember that the dreaded catch-and-kill policy was operationalised under the NC regime when Dr Abdullah publicly stated that there was no place to accommodate more youth in jails, giving clear indications of his intentions. They have also forgotten that Dr Abdullah was the first chief minister in the country to have implemented the draconian POTA in Jammu and Kashmir.'' UNI