Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) chief Farooq Abdullah on Friday hit out at BJP and said, "Our nation is Mahatma Gandhi's India. Not BJP's India." "If Jammu & Kashmir wanted to go to Pakistan, they would have done so in 1947. No one could have stopped it," he added.
Farooq Abdullah's comment comes after he was not allowed to leave his house to visit Hazratbal shrine in order to participate in the religious congregation on account of Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi. "J-K administration has blocked the residence of party president Dr Farooq Abdullah and stopped him from offering prayers at Dargah Hazratbal. JKNC condemns this infringement of fundamental right to pray, especially on the auspicious occasion of Milad Un Nabi SAW," JKNC had said on its Twitter handle.
Meanwhile, former J&K Chief Minister and Farooq Abdullah's son Omar Abdullah also targeted the BJP over the abrogation of Article 370. "They (BJP) said that by removing Art. 370 & 35A, people who were distraught with the Indian administration would completely be assimilated into the rest of the country. But I'd like to say with conviction that by this these people are even more alienated than before," he said.
Omar Abdullah said that even after one year and three months since the abrogation of Article 370, there are no developmental works in the erstwhile state. "Where are development works? 1 year 3 months is long enough to get started on such projects. We'd always say don't be under a misconception that removing Art. 370 & 35A will solve all problems. It is the biggest misstep for J&K. We're not safe on our own lands," he added.
"In 2012, 2013, 2014, there were barely some youth who were taking to resorting to arms. The number of men who joined the militancy over a period of 12-13 years, is now being matched in a matter of months these days," Omar Abdullah further said.
Recently, the Centre paved the way for people from outside J&K to buy land in the union territory. In a gazette notification, the Centre omitted the phrase "permanent resident of the state" from Section 17 of the Jammu and Kashmir Development Act that deals with disposal of the land in the union territory.
This move had also triggered sharp criticism from Peoples' Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) -- an alliance which includes National Conference (NC), PDP, CPI(M), PC, JKPM & ANC.
