‘Threat to 35A, PDP did nothing to save it’
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 29: Former Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) Vice president Omar Abdullah today said that Centre and Pakistan are responsible for militancy in Kashmir.
Omar, while in his reply to a query on who is responsible for militancy in Kashmir, said: “There should be debate on this, after all we cannot change that we are victims of militancy from past 30 years and when it comes to end then we can talk that who was responsible for this. To an extent Pakistan was also responsible for this and Centre also made a situation for it”, he said. Click here to watch video
The former Chief Minister said that his party has been saying this that identity and special status of Kashmir is in danger and Arun Jaitely’s statement confirms it. “We have been saying in the past as well that the identity and special status of Jammu and Kashmir are in danger and this is not a new thing. This danger particularly has been from past five years after BJP came into the power in the State in 2015. We do not need any proof for that after yesterday’s statement by the Finance Minister of the country, Arun Jaitely, who expressed the views of his party”, he said.
Without naming PDP, Omar said that wrong impression was given in the State about 35A. “We cannot change their views but at least they should have presented the truth before people then the debate would have been put forward but the reality was presented in a different manner and a wrong impression was made that Jammu and Kashmir is in loss due to its special status and the State would have been developed to a far extent if it would not have the special status”, he said.
Lashing out at PDP led Government, he said that it did nothing to save it. “The repealing of Article 35A came after 2015 and the Government did nothing to save it. The answer to save the Article 35A was not presented in the Supreme Court in a proper manner”, he said.
Omar said that J&K is not the only State where there is special status but it is being targeted and impression is given it is for Muslims only. “Jammu and Kashmir is not the only State that has a special status. There are other States but nobody is talking about them and only this State is being targeted and a wrong impression is being made that this special status is for Muslims of Kashmir only but the reality is that due to Article 35A, Jammu and Ladakh have also been protected and they also do not want this special status to be repealed”, he said.
The former Chief Minister said it is not due to the special status but militancy that led to suffering of people economically. “The statement of Arun Jaitley is totally wrong. Militancy is the only reason due to which Jammu and Kashmir has suffered as before 90s, the State was considered one of the fastest growing States in the country. Various companies and industries were in the State”, he said.
“The hotels and industries are not here due to Article 35A but due to the performance of the previous Government. The State became part of this country due to this special status. Accession was made on a negotiated settlement by the Maharaja and there was nowhere written that it is time bound. If there is a debate on the special status then there would have been a debate on the accession as well”, he said.
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