Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 18: National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah today welcomed the Congress party’s move to demand restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
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Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, Abdullah called it a rightful cause and backing the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi for raising the issue.
The NC Chief was reacting to a letter sent by Congress president Kharge and MP Rahul Gandhi to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.
“I congratulate Kharge and Rahul Gandhi for taking up the matter with the Prime Minister. A meeting of all opposition leaders will take place on the evening of July 19, where this issue will be raised again,” Abdullah said.
When asked whether he believes the Centre will eventually restore statehood, he said it was a constitutional right of the people. “Why not? It is our right. If they do not, we will see,” he said.
The Centre had, on August 5, 2019, abrogated Article 370, ending Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, and bifurcated the region into two Union Territories-Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
On the recent US designation of The Resistance Front (TRF) as a foreign terrorist organization for its alleged role in the Pahalgam terror attack, Abdullah said, “That incident is still under investigation. Commenting on it before the probe is completed would be premature,” he said.
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