Democracy cannot be reduced to political rhetoric while accountability, internal party democracy and people’s mandate are ignored
Srinagar, October 23: Senior BJP leader and Jammu and Kashmir BJP spokesman Altaf Thakur on Friday launched a sharp attack on National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah over his remarks that democracy must flourish in the country and Jammu and Kashmir, saying the statement was deeply ironic coming from a party whose political legacy, he alleged, was marked by autocratic tendencies and the suppression of democratic aspirations.
In a strongly worded statement, Thakur said the National Conference had no moral authority to preach democracy to others while avoiding an honest assessment of its own political history. He said democracy was not merely a slogan to be invoked at public gatherings but a commitment that had to be reflected in political conduct, respect for dissent, institutional accountability and the freedom of people to make their choices without pressure or interference.
“Dr Farooq Abdullah’s sermon on democracy is ironic. The National Conference has itself followed an autocratic style of functioning and repeatedly undermined the democratic aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Before lecturing the country and others on democracy, the NC must answer for its own record,” Thakur said.
He alleged that the National Conference had historically treated political power as its entitlement rather than a responsibility entrusted to it by the people. According to Thakur, the party’s approach to governance and politics had contributed to an atmosphere in which dissenting voices and alternative political viewpoints were often marginalised.
“The NC cannot claim to be the sole champion of democracy while conveniently forgetting the chapters of J&K’s political history in which democratic institutions and the people’s mandate suffered. Democracy belongs to the people, not to a political family or a party that believes it has a permanent right to rule,” he said.
Thakur further said that genuine democratic credentials were demonstrated through transparent governance, respect for constitutional institutions, fair political competition and the willingness to accept criticism. He accused the National Conference of applying different standards when it came to its own political interests and those of its opponents.
He said Jammu and Kashmir needed a political culture in which leaders were judged by their performance, accountability and commitment to democratic values rather than by speeches and slogans.
“Democracy cannot flourish through selective outrage or convenient political statements. It flourishes when institutions are respected, opposition voices are heard and the people are allowed to decide their future freely. The NC must introspect instead of attempting to appropriate the language of democracy,” Thakur said.
The BJP spokesman said the people of Jammu and Kashmir had witnessed decades of political contestation and deserved leadership that would acknowledge past mistakes rather than evade difficult questions. He added that no political party should be above scrutiny and that historical accountability was essential for strengthening public trust in democratic institutions.
Thakur maintained that the BJP believed in taking democracy to the grassroots through public participation, constitutional processes and accountable governance. He said the real test for any political party was not how eloquently it spoke about democracy but how consistently it upheld democratic principles when faced with criticism and political opposition.
“Jammu and Kashmir does not need lectures on democracy from those unwilling to confront their own record. It needs a political culture where the people are supreme, institutions are strong and no party considers itself bigger than the democratic mandate,” he said.
Thakur urged the National Conference leadership to engage in honest introspection and demonstrate through its actions that its commitment to democracy went beyond political rhetoric.
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