Rana pitches regional Autonomy for assuaging pol, dev wants of J&K people

JAMMU: Weeks after main opposition National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah sparked the Autonomy controversy, party's provincial president Devender Singh Rana on Saturday reiterated its stance and pitched for regional autonomy as a practical way forward to address political and developmental aspirations of the people of State.
"Time has come for bold initiatives to end alienation and empower all segments of the society, which is in consonance with the political philosophy of National Conference that believes in people being real masters of their destiny", Rana said while interacting with people at Ranjan in Tanda during his visit to Nagrota Assembly Constituency.
"The regional and sub-regional autonomy,' Rana said, "will deflate the balloon of hate and mistrust pumped by divisive forces to remain relevant in the vicious environment of religious polarisation."
He also expressed concern over alarming growth of hate politics and described it contrary to the assimilative ethos of the state.
Rana said that the three regions of the state have distinct urges and aspirations which can be tackled by constitution of regional councils.
The Provincial President lambasted the BJP for creating hysteria over discrimination for nearly six decades and said that when it came to reckoning they betrayed the people soon after taking over the reins of government.