Farooq Abdullah 'Won't die till 370 restored; If J&K wanted to join Pak, would've in 1947'

In a fierce speech on Friday, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah said that if Kashmir wanted to support Pakistan, they would have done so in 1947 but they chose to be with India. Lashing out at the BJP for the abrogation of Article 370, Abdullah said that power is never permanent and they will also be dislodged from their "chair" one day. He highlighted that Kashmir had joined Mahatma Gandhi's India in 1947 and not "BJP's India". Dismissing the Centre's move to bifurcate the erstwhile state of J&K, Abdullah claimed that they have never seen Ladakh differently from the rest of Kashmir.

Addressing NC party workers in Jammu on Friday, Farooq Abdullah asserted that they will fight till the Centre doesn't restore the special rights of the people of Kashmir. “I will not die until the rights of my people are given back. I am here to do something for the people and the day I will finish my work, I will leave this world,” Abdullah declared. He was addressing his party workers for the first time in over a year. 

Farooq Abdullah also spoke about the Kashmiri Pandits and claimed that they are being used by BJP for votes. "For 28 years, they are saying that Kashmiri Pandits will be taken back to their homes in the valley. They are in power for more than five years but they are still waiting for the day of their return." 

Omar Abdullah followed his father to reiterate that they will fight till Article 370 is not restored. He expressed his disappointment on being called "anti-national" because he opposed Centre's move to tweak Domicile law, land laws. Calling the abrogation of special rights as the "biggest misstep", Omar claimed that it has forced people of Kashmir to take up arms once again. He also stated that his party - NC has never indulged in politics of religion or caste.

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Abrogation of Article 370

In August 2019, a presidential notification along with the passage of requisite legislation in both Houses of Parliament resulted in Article 370 becoming virtually redundant. Furthermore, the state was bifurcated into the Union Territory of J&K and Union Territory of Ladakh. Subsequently, several restrictions on the movement of people, communication, and internet services were imposed in the region. Multiple leaders including former Chief Ministers Farooq and Omar Abdullah were detained. The Public Safety Act charges against the Abdullah father-son duo were withdrawn in March 2020. 

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Gupkar alliance

After the release of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti after 14 months of detention, mainstream Kashmiri politicians who had signed the Gupkar Declaration on August 4, 2019, met at NC chief Farooq Abdullah's residence and signed the new Gupkar alliance -  'People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration'. NC president Farooq Abdullah is the president of the alliance and PDP chief Mehbooba Muft is vice-president of the alliance. They have affirmed that the Centre must restore the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.  

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