Expresses concern over outsider voters
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Aug 30: Former Chief Minister and National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah today said that unless all political parties and people unite to fight for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A to Jammu and Kashmir, it is not easy to get them back.
“It is not easy to get Articles 370 and 35A restored to J&K. We have already approached the Supreme Court and are waiting for the day when they will constitute a bench and hear the petition,” Abdullah told a news channel today.
“It (restoration of Articles 370 and 35A) will not come from the sky. We all have to struggle for that together. I hope the day will come and Article 370 will be restored again with dignity and honour,” he said.
Abdullah alleged that the Centre did it unconstitutionally without approaching the people here.
He said that Bharatiya Janata Party is attempting to get Apex Court decision on scrapping of Articles 370 and 35A in their favour.
“The BJP is attempting to get two-third majority in the elections when they are held in Jammu and Kashmir which will enable them to pass the resolution in the Assembly and then request the Supreme Court to constitute the bench which will give a decision in their favour,” he added.
The NC president wished the Supreme Court would soon constitute the bench as early as possible and start hearing on Article 370.
On delaying Assembly elections in J&K, Abdullah said: “I cannot say anything about it. It is the Election Commission which has to take a call.”
The NC president said they often say that the situation in J&K has improved. “If it has improved why are they not conducting elections. There should be a reason,” he questioned.
“The delimitation process has been done and now electoral rolls be prepared…the process should be completed,” he added.
Abdullah said there are apprehensions among the people about new 25 lakh outsider voters being inducted in the voters list of J&K, as has been announced by the Chief Electoral Officer recently.
“I doubt these are being registered to bring BJP to power in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
In a question about what effect it would have on political parties if former senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad froms his own political party, Abdullah said: “I am happy he is going to form a national level party…let us see it is just a beginning, time will tell..”
When asked why the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) does not exist in the minds of the people, he said that “everybody has his own opinion and I cannot say anything to them.”
“The parties who are constituents of PAGD have their own manifesto and ideas. It is an amalgam of the parties made for a particular cause. Whatever people are saying about the PAGD is their own point of view and opinion …I cannot tell them anything.”
He said that “time will tell PAGD was formed for the benefit of the people of Jammu and Kashmir…It would be premature to say what PAGD can do…that time will tell. Our enemies are hell bent to see that PAGD should disband”.
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