Naseer Gani
At a large gathering at Sheri Kashmir Cricket Stadium here, opposition National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah and the working president Omar Abdullah today called for the restoration of autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir. They argued Jammu and Kashmir only acceded to India but never merged and it should be seen differently from other States.
With the former Home Minister P. Chidambaram facing criticism for advocating autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir, the NC leaders said if the demand for the restoration of autonomy is anti-national, they would talk about the restoration of autonomy again and again.
Thousands of NC delegates from different areas of the State participated in the day-long delegates session of the party. The party held the session after 16- years.
Talking about ideological roots and the goal of his party, opposition leader, Omar Abdullah said his party fights elections to form the government but the power has never remained the party’s objective. He said his party’s aim continues to be that people of J&K should be allowed to live with dignity and pride.
Omar said during the 2016 unrest unlike ruling People’s Democratic Party, which in 2010 sought Omar’s ouster, his party didn’t seek the resignation of the Mehbooba Mufti government. He said his party’s focus remained resolution of Kashmir issue instead of toppling Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
As the BJP’s is criticizing former Home Minister Chidambaram’s autonomy remark, Omar said the comment was described by some Ministers of the Narendra Modi government as anti-national.
He said those who criticize Chidambaram should understand that Jammu and Kashmir cannot be equated with other states. “We have acceded to with the Union of India but not merged”, he added.
Taking on the BJP, Omar said, if talking about the autonomy is anti-national then what for Dineshwar Sharma has been appointed. On October 23, the Centre government announced the appointment of Dineshwar Sharma, former Director of Intelligence Bureau (IB), as interlocutor for Kashmir.
Omar said the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh insisted that Sharma would listen to “legitimate demands” in Jammu and Kashmir. But Minister of State in the PMO reduced Sharma to spokesperson and has stated he will not talk to Hurriyat Conference, Omar said. Omar called such situation confusing and said if mouths will continue to remain open; the process would end before it takes off. That would be very sad, he said. Omar said Kashmir was an issue, is an issue and would remain so and called for sincere effort to resolve it. He said dialogue would not happen at the gunpoint.
The party president Dr. Abdullah said since 1938, constant efforts have been made to target and annihilate National Conference from Jammu and Kashmir. Dr. Farooq said Maharaja Hari Singh, the last ruler of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, went for the accession with India after Pakistani army backed tribal attack in 1947. Otherwise, Maharaja wanted Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as an independent State, he added.
Dr. Farooq Abdullah said the tribal attackers committed worst atrocities against Kashmiris forcing the Maharaja to go for an Accession with India. When the accession took place, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was in jail, Dr. Abdullah said. He said except defense, foreign affairs and currency everything was lying with the State government. “If we are talking about it today, does that mean we are anti-national”, Dr. Farooq said.
He said Jammu and Kashmir joined India with all love but the successive center governments took away everything from the State. He said if the center wants to win the hearts and minds of people of the State, it should return autonomy to the State. “You have taken everything from us. Return it to us”, he said.
“There will not be peace till you resolve Kashmir”, he said.
Referring to the National Investigating Agency (NIA) and its raids, he said the NIA has arrested people who have taken money from Pakistan. “Till now we don’t what are charges against them”, he said. They have arrested Syed Salahuddin’s son as well, he said.
