Omar warns Centre on attempts to tinker with 35A
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 25: National Conference president and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah today asked Pakistan to end the militancy strongly or the country will be labelled as a terrorist State which will bring miseries to its people.
Abdullah, while addressing a gathering here, said that the dialogue is the only way and stressed Pakistan to end militancy.
“The only way out is through dialogue and Pakistan should try to end the militancy and it should do so strongly. If it does not do so, then that country will be labelled as a terror State which will bring miseries to its people”, he said.
Abdullah expressed happiness over Pakistan MP Rajesh Kumar Vankwani meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. “I am happy that (Pakistan Prime Minister) Imran Khan had sent his representative who met the Prime Minister of India and Sushma Swaraj. I am hopeful that the war hysteria which was being built would have lessened. Please pray to God so that the clouds of war make way for peace,” he said.
The NC president said there are attempts to create war hysteria in Kashmir. “There are attempts to create war hysteria. You should pray to God to save us from war. There have been four wars, but nothing was achieved except loss of lives,” he said.
He added that the people of the State have from time to time held high the torch of universal brotherhood and communal harmony. “I hope that the situation in the country calms down. Time has come when people in the country need to reject the rhetoric of communal forces,” he said.
Former Chief Minister and NC vice president Omar Abdullah on the occasion warned Centre over its attempts to tinker with Article 35A of the Constitution and said the situation in State would turn uglier than Arunachal Pradesh in case Centre fiddles with it.
“People of Jammu and Kashmir are being threatened over Article 35A, but I want to tell New Delhi that situation in the State would become even worse in case the Constitution is tinkered with,” he said.
“Arunachal Pradesh was the calm State in India but since the Government fiddled with State Subject Law there, the situation has taken U turn, even the house of Deputy Chief Minister was set ablaze”, Omar said.
The former Chief Minister said that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir will turn uglier than the AP where State subject law was tampered with. “There was no militancy or stone-pelting in Arunachal Pradesh but at present the calmest State is on boil due to the tinkering of State Subject Law there. I want to tell New Delhi not to fiddle with Article 35A as the situation would become even worse than Arunachal Pradesh here,” he said.
Omar while batting for Assembly elections in the State said that let them be held and people be given a right to cast their ballots. Therefore, the proper Government here will deal with the issue (Article 35A) on its own. “We know how to calm down the situation like we did in 2014. We better know the situation than you (Centre),” he said.
The NC leader said that holding of elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be a test of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of Kashmir in last five years. “Will the Modi Government bow before those forces of separatism and terror that have always sought to disrupt/delay polls in J&K or will polls take place on schedule? The moment of truth for PM Modi’s handling of Kashmir over the last 5 years,” Omar tweeted.
Omar said that Centre and Governor have only one responsibility right now that is to hold elections. “So, hold elections, let people take the decision, the new government will itself work towards safeguarding Article 35A,” he said.
Omar asserted that emergence of Third Front in Kashmir is being manufactured to split up the mandate of people in Kashmir saying the people should give befitting reply to such machinations by rallying around the flag of National Conference only.
He said that Third Front is being contrived to ensure that a single party with a strong mandate does not emerge from Kashmir valley. “The idea behind forging Third Front is to ensure that the mandate of the people of Kashmir is split. However, this trend is not seen in Ladakh or Jammu regions of our State. Why is it that such trends only emerge in the Valley? The forces as are hell bent to destroy the special status of our State have been contriving to create leader in every street of Kashmir. Sheikh Sahib had already prophesied that forces inimical to Kashmir will create leaders in every street. However, by forging unity and rallying around the flag of National Conference, we can trounce such forces as are contriving hard to destroy our special status,” he said.
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