Will push for delimitation, statehood first, polls later, says Omar Abdullah

National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah on Saturday mentioned his occasion will maintain stressing and pushing for delimitation first, statehood second and elections later.

“Not delimitation-election-statehood but delimitation-statehood-election. If you have to conduct an election, return the statehood first. Whenever and wherever we get a chance, we will keep stressing on this,” Mr. Abdullah mentioned, in an interview to some journalists at his residence in Srinagar, after the Abdullahs returned from Delhi the place they met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 24.

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Referring to senior Congress chief Ghulam Nabi Azad’s remarks made through the assembly with the PM, Mr. Abdullah mentioned, “Before Prime Minister’s address, Mr. Azad expressed the view on behalf of all of us and said that this timeline (delimitation-election-statehood) is not acceptable to us.”

Keeping his playing cards near his chest on the participation of the three NC members of Parliament within the Delimitation Commission, Mr. Abdullah mentioned, “Dr. (Farooq Abdullah) Sahib is to take the view as and when necessary. There has been no fresh approach from the Delimitation Commission. As and when Commission makes an approach, Dr. Sahib will take the view. We will convey our stand to the Commission.”

‘Reject Aug. 2019 move’

He mentioned all of the Gupkar alliance members made it clear that “they don’t accept August 5, 2019 decisions”.

“We will continue to fight peacefully, constitutionally, legally and politically to undo the August 5 decision. We don’t want to betray people. If we tell people that we are seeking reversal of August 5 from Modi Sahib, it would be a betrayal?” he added.

The former chief minister made it clear that the wrestle to revive J&K’s particular standing is an extended one. “It took BJP 70 years to fulfil its agenda. If it takes us 70 weeks or 70 months, or whatever time it takes, we will not retract from our mission,” Mr. Abdullah mentioned.

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He mentioned the Prime Minister listened to the stand of the members of the Gupkar alliance. “We conveyed to him that people are unhappy,” he mentioned.

Mr. Abdullah mentioned solely two leaders, Mr. Azad and Muzaffar Hussian Baigh, referred to Article 370 as subjudice and subsequently past dialogue through the assembly with the PM.

“When the BJP could talk about the Ram temple despite it being before the court (then), why can’t we talk about Article 370? It is a subject of discussion. It was a subject in the DDC polls. We will continue to agitate the matter,” he mentioned.

‘Unchecked bureaucracy’

Mr Abdullah mentioned the folks of Kashmir had been going through an “unchecked bureaucracy”.

“A Deputy Commissioner arrested someone for merely saying that he wished to talk to local officers as outsiders do not understand him. People are being harassed and arrested. There is unchecked bureaucratic rule and if people say all this is good till there is a decision from the Supreme Court, we will surrender. Wherever people get some kind of solace, we are for it,” he added.

‘Remove mistrust’

Meanwhile, NC president Dr. Abdullah described the assembly with Mr Modi as “very good” and mentioned folks ought to wait to see if the Centre was able to take away distrust current on the bottom in J&K.

“There is a level of mistrust, and that mistrust has to be removed and how you (GoI) remove it, you have to decide. Let’s not jump the gun. Let’s see what they do to remove that mistrust or will they continue the mistrust,” Dr. Abdullah mentioned.

He mentioned he instructed them, with out naming anybody, that the primary Prime Minister promised us a plebiscite and went again on it. (P. V.) Narasimha Rao promised us autonomy and mentioned sky is the restrict. “Rao promised us autonomy on the floor of the House. Where is it?” Dr. Abdullah requested.