NC to abstain from voting on censure motion today

The National Conference has formally put its seal on the decision to abstain from voting in the crucial censure motion in Parliament on Guja...

The National Conference has formally put its seal on the decision to abstain from voting in the crucial censure motion in Parliament on Gujarat. After a late night meeting held in New Delhi, party’s chief whip and spokesman Sharifu-din-shariq said his party ‘‘wanted to show its disapproval of violence against all communities in Gujarat’’ by not voting in support of the Government.

Senior J-K minister Mustafa Kamal, who is also the younger brother of Chief minister Farooq Abdullah, said in Srinagar: ‘‘Although we believe that the dismissal of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is not the remedy of the problems, we are deeply disturbed by the happenings in Gujarat. The National Conference wants to be in good relations with the Centre but at the same time there is no question of any compromise on the party’s basic secular credentials.”

When asked whether their decision to abstain from voting will lead to a break up in NC alliance with the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, Kamal said: ‘‘It doesn’t matter to us,’’ he said. ‘‘We have taken a stand and we believe it is the right approach.”

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The NC, which is to face an election for state Assembly in September, feels an absolute support to BJP over Modi will be counter-productive for its traditional Muslim vote bank. In fact the party’s Kashmir provincial chief G.N. Shaheen has been openly blaming the BJP-led Government for orchestrating massacre of Muslims in Gujarat and demanding an immediate ouster of Modi.

However, Farooq Abdullah and few senior leaders were soft on Modi’s ouster only to save the party’s alliance with the BJP at the Centre. Party sources said Farooq had conveyed the decision to the Prime Minister before the former left for his London vacation.

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