SRINAGAR: National Conference (NC) president Dr. Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said the people of Jammu and Kashmir had rejected the decisions taken on August 5, 2019, from the very beginning and that his party would continue its democratic struggle for the restoration of constitutional guarantees, democratic rights and full statehood.
In a statement issued on the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganisation of the erstwhile state, Abdullah described August 5, 2019, as “one of the darkest days in India’s democratic history”, alleging that the decisions taken by the Centre stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its constitutional safeguards, political identity and statehood.
He said the people of Jammu and Kashmir had consistently opposed the August 5 decisions and remained steadfast in their demand for the restoration of their constitutional rights.
Abdullah said the National Conference-led government had reaffirmed its stand by making it its first legislative priority to pass a resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly rejecting the August 5 decisions and seeking the restoration of the Union Territory’s constitutional position and statehood.
Launching a sharp attack on the BJP, the NC president alleged that the party continued to encourage “proxy political formations” to divide the people’s mandate and weaken their collective voice.
Referring to the 2014 Assembly elections, Abdullah said the National Conference had warned that the People’s Democratic Party’s alliance with the BJP would prove detrimental to Jammu and Kashmir and eventually lead to the constitutional changes of August 5, 2019.
Highlighting the National Conference’s political legacy, Abdullah said the party had a long history of fighting for democratic rights and social justice and would not compromise on safeguarding Jammu and Kashmir’s identity, dignity and constitutional rights.
He appealed to the people to remain united and strengthen the National Conference to achieve the restoration of the rights that, according to the party, were taken away on August 5, 2019
