New Delhi: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah while addressing a public meeting at Chatroo in the Inderwal assembly constituency of Kishtwar district on Tuesday said that, the BJP-led central government was able to abrogate Article 370 after his party was deemed weak after the 2014 elections.
He further said PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Syed declined his offer of unconditional support and stitched an alliance with those who do not have "good intentions" towards Jammu and Kashmir, reported PTI.
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"I had foreseen such a situation and went to Mufti sahib to extend unconditional outside support for forming the government. I told him that the path he is going to treat (by forming the government with BJP) will be a disaster for J&K and we will not be able to save ourselves," he said, adding "I told him that I have no greed for power as I have just completed six years as chief minister and desist from bringing those to power who do not have good intentions for J&K."
He then said that people should support National Conference so that it becomes further strong to help "reverse the changes which were forced on the people of Jammu and Kashmir" on August 5, 2019, with the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two union territories.
"We have started a fight for Jammu and Kashmir and its people following the changes which were forced on us - the changes which were possible because the National Conference was weak. If we have not lost the (assembly) seats in 2014 elections and formed the government, neither would they have removed Article 370 or Article 35A nor taken away land transferred to the people under Roshni Act or given jobs and contractors to outsiders," the former chief minister said.
Targeting the Centre, he said all its claims that the revocation of Article 370 will bring peace, development, investment, jobs and end militancy have proved false. He was further quoted by PTI and said that Mufti has his compulsions so he took a decision, he said and referred to a famous couplet '(ye jabr bhi dekha hai, taarikh ki nazron ne), lamhon ne Khata Ki Thi, sadiyon ne saza payi' (much injustice has been seen by the eyes of history/when for a mistake made by a moment, centuries were punished).
"We do not know how long we have to suffer for that decision," Omar said according to PTI.
"Just tell me one thing which you have achieved in the past nearly two and a half years, he asked and said we get tired of highlighting the developmental works done by us till 2018 but they were unable to carry forward the development and even failed to depute officers to new blocks, tehsils, sub-divisions created by our government to bring governance closer to the public," he said pointing at the Centre.
Accepting the failure of the party leadership to win the Inderwal assembly constituency since 2002, Omar promised a local candidate for the seat in the upcoming elections.
"Though this is not the election time and I have come to assure you that whenever the elections are declared - whether in 2022, 23 or 24 we will give preference to the local candidate and this time there will be no candidate who will be dropped by helicopter or parachute," he said.