In Jammu, Omar Abdullah dubs Art 370 abrogation as 'biggest misstep'; claims alienation

Addressing party workers in Jammu on Friday, NC vice president Omar Abdullah claimed that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are more alienated from the rest of India than before. According to him, the Centre's move to abrogate Article 370 and 35A had not resulted in the intended consequences. Claiming that many the NC has never indulged in politics of religion or caste, the former J&K CM contended a lot of lies were peddled before August 5, 2019.

On this occasion, Abdullah alleged that there was no development in the Union Territory despite the passage of a year and three months since the end of the region's special status. Maintaining that fewer industries are coming to J&K because of "fear", he noted that terror recruitment is high at present as compared to the past. Moreover, the J&K vice-president opined that even the land of the people was not safe now. 

He was referring to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Adaptation of Central Laws) Third Order, 2020 repealing or substituting 26 laws of the erstwhile state. By omitting 'permanent resident of the state' from Section 17 of the Jammu and Kashmir Development Act, the restriction on the purchase of land by people from outside J&K was done away with. Claiming that agricultural land can be sold for non-agriculture use, he asserted that the land and employment rights of the local population had been compromised. 

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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 The Public Safety Act charges against the Abdullah father-son duo were withdrawn in March 2020. After the release of Mehbooba Mufti, NC and PDP formed the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration along with Congress, CPI(M), JKPC and ANC to fight for the restoration of Article 370. Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have been declared as the president and vice president of this coalition respectively. 

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