People of Kashmir can’t be kept waiting indefinitely: Farooq Abdullah
New Delhi: National Conference President. Farooq Abdullah on Monday led a party protest in the Indian capital, urging New Delhi to fulfil its commitment to restore Indian illegally occipied Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and asserting that the people of Jammu and Kashmir could not be kept waiting indefinitely.
According to Kashmir Media Service, leading hundreds of NC leaders and workers towards Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, Abdullah said the party had assembled in New Delhi not to seek political concessions but to remind India of assurances it had itself given regarding the restoration of IIOJK’s status.
The protest, held on the opening day of Indian Parliament’s Monsoon Session, was attended by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament, MLAs and senior party functionaries. The demonstrators demanded immediate restoration of statehood.
The march was stopped by Delhi Police before it could reach Jantar Mantar. The NC alleged that restrictions were imposed and tear gas was used to disperse protesters.
Addressing party workers after the protest was halted, Abdullah said the NC had come to the capital with a single objective – “to seek the restoration of the rights, dignity and honour of the people of J&K.”
“We are also demanding the restoration of full statehood. These are not new demands. They are promises made by Modi and the Indian Home Minister before Parliament, before the Supreme Court, and before the people of J&K,” he said.
“The time has come for those promises to be honoured. We are not asking for anything extraordinary. We are only asking the Indian government to fulfil the assurances it has repeatedly given,” he said.
Abdullah said the issue concerned the democratic rights and political dignity of the people.
“Our fight is for dignity, democracy and constitutional rights. The people of J&K have exercised patience. They have participated in the democratic process with the hope that commitments made to them would be honoured. That hope should not be betrayed,” he said.
Referring to the Indian Supreme Court’s observations, Abdullah said the apex court had also expected the process to be completed at the earliest.
“The Indian government itself gave an assurance before the Supreme Court. It is now for the government to act in accordance with those commitments,” he said.
Criticising the restrictions on the protest, he said, “Democracy gives every citizen the right to express his or her views peacefully. Such voices should be heard, not stopped.”
The NC president further raised the issue of Ladakh and sought the release of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk from hospital.
