Srinagar: Senior National Conference leaders Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah on Saturday addressed questions regarding the recent all-party meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Former Jammu and Kashmir CM Farooq Abdullah while talking to media persons said that the meeting with PM Modi was good. “The parties have put their position before them. It was the first step on their part to create better conditions in Jammu and Kashmir and start the political process,” he said.
Omar Abdullah, son of the veteran leader and Vice President of National Conference, said that the leaders of the Valley were not invited to the all-party meeting of the PM as a coalition.
“We were not called there (in PM’s all-party meeting) as an alliance. If that was the case, only one person from the coalition would have been invited… We didn’t say anything in that meeting which is off the agenda. Gupkar of the Alliance,” he said.
The Gupkar alliance stands firm on its demand to bring back Article 370 to restore statehood along with the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Not only Mehbooba Mufti but Farooq Saab also said that it took 70 years for BJP to succeed in its agenda of abrogating Article 370. We will not go back on our mission even if we need 70 weeks or 70 months or so. It may take more time,” Omar Abdullah said.
The 11th J&K Chief Minister, also addressing the topic of the impending delimitation process, said: “As far as the Delimitation Commission is concerned, the party has made it very clear – they have asked Dr Saab (Farooq Abdullah) whenever is authorized to consider, if necessary.
“No fresh approach has been taken by the Delimitation Commission for the National Conference,” he said.
Omar Abdullah insisted that elections in the Union Territory should be held only after statehood is restored.
“Azad Sahab (Ghulam Nabi Azad) said on behalf of all of us that we do not accept this time limit – we do not accept delimitation, elections, statehood – we want delimitation, statehood and then elections If you want to hold elections, you have to restore statehood first,” he insisted on laying down the sequence.
The delimitation assumes significance because after the abrogation of Article 370 by the central government and special status to Jammu and Kashmir, both the Lok Sabha and the assembly constituencies have to be demarcated under the Constitution.
As per the 2019 Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, the new legislature in the erstwhile state will have 90 assembly seats.
During a three-and-a-half-hour meeting with 14 political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir, PM Modi said that the ongoing delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir should be done quickly so that elections can be held to form an elected government. Which gives strength to its development path.
He tweeted after the meeting, “Our priority is to strengthen democracy at the grassroots level in J&K. Delimitation should be done at a fast pace so that elections can be held and J&K gets an elected government that will guide the development path of J&K. Give me strength.”
(with agency input)
.