Statehood restoration right of people, not a favour: Farooq
National Conference president and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah said on Monday that statehood is “the right of the people" in Jammu and Kashmir and is “not a favour."
Abdullah, who was speaking to reporters in Srinagar after a party meeting, also announced that the National Conference would have a human rights wing which will be headed by MLA Pampore and Justice Hasnain Masoodi (retd).
Responding to a question about statehood restoration, Abdullah said statehood is the right of Jammu and Kashmir. “It is not a favour. This is the right of the people here,” he said.
Abdullah’s remarks on Monday came a few days after he said that his party would have no option but to move the Supreme Court if there is an inordinate delay in the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
The issue of restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a heated debate in the UT with NC leaders stating that the dual governance system was bringing no good to Jammu and Kashmir.
National Conference chief spokesperson and MLA Tanvir Sadiq said on Monday that all major political parties including BJP, PDP, PC agree that “statehood is our legitimate right and must be restored without any further delay.”
“I say this with utmost responsibility while the Opposition and we may often be at odds, take jabs at one another and remain politically competitive, I firmly believe that when it comes to the question of statehood, there is absolute unanimity. Whether it’s BJP, PDP, PC or any other party, all agree that statehood is our legitimate right and must be restored without any further delay,” Sadiq said on X.
He asked, “Who is creating this atmosphere of confusion? The answer is clear: it is those who benefit from the dual power structure, those who thrive in the shadows of uncertainty and chaos,” he said.
He added, “These are the very elements who deliberately float such misleading narratives not just to undermine the sentiments of the people, but also to cast aspersions on the Supreme Court, Prime Minister, Home Minister and the sanctity of Parliament itself where it was promised.”
After Omar Abdullah became CM in October last year, the NC has since been stressing that statehood be restored immediately to end the dual governance setup in the UT. In fact, Omar Abdullah has been repeatedly saying that a CM under UT is weaker and has no control over the higher bureaucracy compared to that of a state.
Meanwhile, Farooq Abdullah on Monday warned that Arab countries would be the next target of Israel and the US, saying they are eyeing their “oil and gas.”
“They have been thinking for a long time that Iran should not have nuclear power. It’s not just that. All the Sunni countries there are against it. But they don’t have the strength to speak. They think that Iran has been attacked. But I warn you that one day Israel will attack them (Arab countries) too. They need oil and gas,” he said. “Israel is only standing in front. America is behind.”
He said the powers of the world are watching (the conflict) today and they are trying to stop it. “If the conflict escalates, the economic conditions of every country will get ruined,” he said, adding that “even conditions in India will be very bad.”
J & K