Ghulam Nabi Azad, a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, launched his own political party on Monday, calling on the people of both Jammu and Kashmir to tear down the fictitious barriers being built between them.
Azad also unveiled his party’s tricolour flag, which consists of mustard, white, and dark blue stripes. Speaking to reporters, Azad said that the party’s flag, which is mustard in colour, represents innovation, the capacity for thought, and unity in variety, while white represents peace and fraternity.
According to him, the dark blue of the flag stands for freedom, tolerance, and inventiveness that reaches as far as the sea and the sky.
The senior leader urged the members of both divisions to overcome the barriers that were being built between them by emphasising their interdependence. In this connection, he made the point that the influx of people from Kashmir during the yearly darbar move used to stimulate commercial activity in Jammu. He said that because the Kashmir Valley used to be a market for the goods produced in Jammu, Samba, and Kathua, these cities’ industries were severely impacted by the repeal of Article 370.
Azad said that they don’t compete with any political parties. He said, “We will talk about our own plans and programmes, let others handle theirs, and leave everything to those who are the true masters of politics.”
He advocated for making a distinction between “enemies and political opponents,” emphasising that political opponents are not the same as foes. “Like us, they have the right to spread their own policies and programmes, and in a democracy, the people get to pick whichever one they want.”
Additionally, he urged people to give fruit-laden truck traffic from Kashmir to other parts of the nation precedence. These trucks should be given priority to travel for a while, much as it is given to ambulances, because fruits have a shorter shelf life.
Additionally, he demanded compensation for the Jammu residents for the harm that rain and flash floods had done to their crops.