Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today fresh controversy by advocating more autonomy for the state and blaming former Governor Jagmohan for mass exodus of Pandits from the Valley.
Farooq Abdullah said that “Pandits left Kashmir Valley because of Jagmohan” while lashing out at the NDA government over its Kashmir policy. He said, the Pandits needed to return to there homes as soon as possible.
Farooq Abdullah’s comments came after he was reelected as the president of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference today. He was speaking at a rally at the Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium.
Without naming Army Chief Bipin Rawat, Farooq Abdullah also hit out at him saying, “General says the Army will do its job. How many people would you kill? We are not scared. This is a political issue. Until you resolve it, there will never be peace here.”
Farooq Abdullah also slammed Ram Madhav, the BJP’s key link between the party and the Jammu and Kashmir government of Mehbooba Mufti. He said, “Ram Madhav mama bana hua hai kashmir ka, uski kya hasiyat (Ram Madhav is playing smart in Kashmir but what is his stature here?”
The National Conference president also attacked PM Narendra Modi over GST and demonetisation. He said, “Demonetisation didn’t help to curb militancy but encouraged it.” He further said that the RSS people were against freedom of India and stood with British.
Meanwhile, the National Conference passed a resolution today, vowing to continue its struggle for restoration of autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir as enshrined in the Constitution of India.
“We continue to strive for the restoration of autonomy and restoration of Article 370 to its original, pristine form, while condemning those divisive voices who are opposed to the sovereign constitutional guarantees extended to the people of the state,” the resolution passed at a delegates’ session of the National Conference in Srinagar reads.
NC president Farooq Abdullah and working president Omar Abdullah were present the delegates’ session of the party held after a gap of 15 years and attended by thousands of party delegates from all three regions of the state.
The party said the Kashmir issue should be solved through a sustained dialogue with both internal and external stakeholders, an apparent reference to separatists and Pakistan.
“The recently announced initiative through a representative of the Government of India should have clarity and seriousness of purpose to ensure the sanctity of the institution of dialogue is restored and upheld,” the party resolution said.
Calling for a political initiative, the party said a singular focus on military and operational mechanism to deal with the Kashmir issue “in the absence of a political initiative” is a “dangerous” approach and continues to alienate the people.
The state of Jammu and Kashmir is the “worst victim of animosity” between the two neighbouring countries and has the most to benefit from mutual cooperation and peace between the two countries, the party said.
“It is for this purpose that our party wishes to see the Shimla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration to be rejuvenated to usher the entire subcontinent, especially Jammu and Kashmir, into an era of peace and stability,” it added.