Farooq Abdullah urges unity, youth participation on Sheikh Abdullah’s 120th birth anniversary

Paying tributes on the 120th birth anniversary of the party founder and the first prime minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Sheikh Abdullah, on Friday, National Conference (NC) president Dr Farooq Abdullah urged party workers to maintain unity and discipline while stressing the need to introduce young and educated people, particularly women, into active politics.

The NC leadership paid floral tributes to Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, offering prayers and floral tributes at his mausoleum at Naseem Bagh in Srinagar.

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Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Advisor to CM Nasir Aslam Wani, senior leader Abdul Rahim Rather, and several MLAs and party functionaries visited the Qaid Mazar at Naseem Bagh, Hazratbal, where they performed ‘Fateha Khawani’.

Speaking on the occasion, Farooq Abdullah said the day serves as a reminder of Sheikh Abdullah’s lifelong struggle for the rights, dignity, and empowerment of the people of Jammu & Kashmir. He added that the Sheikh’s policies and vision continue to inspire generations.

He said the organisation was undergoing changes to strengthen its base but regretted that “some of our own people are speaking against the party”. He reminded workers that “everything we have today is because of the party”.

He also defended the government’s performance, noting that expectations must remain realistic.

“What can a government achieve in just one year when most powers lie with the LG? Even so, the government is making every effort to serve the people,” he said.

Farooq said the day was a reminder of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s “mission to give voice to the voiceless”, adding that the progress witnessed today was rooted in the Sheikh’s “vision and courage”.

Omar Abdullah and other senior leaders also highlighted Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s contributions, stating that his commitment to justice, unity and public welfare laid the foundation of modern political awakening in the region.

Party leaders highlighted that Sheikh Abdullah was not only the architect of modern Jammu & Kashmir but also the voice of its oppressed and marginalized segments. His grassroots connect, progressive reforms, and historic initiatives, such as land-to-tiller legislation, transformed the socio-economic landscape of the region, uplifting countless families from poverty and exploitation. His politics, rooted firmly in people’s welfare, remains unmatched in its moral and ideological depth.

Party leaders recalled his sacrifices and the courage with which he confronted adversities. They asserted that the best way to honour Sheikh’s legacy is to remain steadfast to the principles he cherished: unity, secularism, justice, and the empowerment of every citizen, irrespective of region, religion, or caste.