PDP supports statehood resolution as it reflected people's sentiments: Mehdi

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Sept 28: The PDP leader and MLA from Budgam, Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi, today said his party supported the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly resolution seeking restoration of full statehood as it reflected the "sentiments and feelings" of the people.

Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Mehdi said the PDP wanted the resolution to be more comprehensive and had moved an amendment seeking an explicit reference to the developments of August 5, 2019, and Articles 370 and 35A. "The resolution was related to the sentiments and feelings of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. That is why the PDP supported this resolution in the light of a common cause," Mehdi said.

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He said the PDP had requested the National Conference-led Government to incorporate a reference to the changes made on August 5, 2019, so that the Assembly's position was clearly placed before the Centre.

Mehdi said the amendment was not accepted, but the PDP still supported the resolution because of what he described as its broader connection with public sentiment. "But they did not accept our amendment. But since this resolution was related to the sentiments and feelings of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, we played our role in passing this resolution successfully," he said.

The PDP leader also rejected the suggestion that the party's support amounted to backing autonomy. "This is not about autonomy. This is about the sentiments and feelings of the people of Jammu and Kashmir," Mehdi said.

He said Articles 370 and 35A represented those sentiments and argued that the Assembly resolution should have reflected them more comprehensively. "We have translated those sentiments and feelings in a comprehensive way. The BJP has opposed this which is natural," he said.