Restoration of Article 370 is NC’s core agenda: Farooq Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah has said that the restoration of Article 370 remains the core agenda of his party.

Addressing a gathering in Budgam, he said the foundation of his party rests on its sincere and selfless cadre, as well as the immense sacrifices of Kashmir’s martyrs who laid down their lives for the dignity, self-respect and freedom of the people from centuries of oppression and subjugation.

He said the first-ever elected government in Jammu and Kashmir gave constitutional and democratic rights to the people and brought a historic transformation through land ownership rights.

Abdullah said, “Under the leadership of Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, landmark reforms significantly reduced poverty, deprivation, and illiteracy, enabling ordinary citizens, who had tilled the land for years without fair compensation, to become landowners overnight.”

Criticising the central government, he said all of these rights were gradually eroded one by one in an unconstitutional and undemocratic manner and whatever remained was then axed in 2019 with the active support of the People’s Democratic Party.

Earlier, Mehbooba Mufti as well as National Conference MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi had accused the National Conference of sidelining its promise to fight for the restoration of Article 370.

Both said that the Omar Abdullah government had been silent on the issue of the return of Article 370 and statehood.

The National Conference chief later warned the leaders against misleading narratives, saying that the restoration of Article 370 remains the core agenda of the National Conference, and there is no question of stepping back from this struggle.

He further said that a dual system of governance in a sensitive region like Jammu and Kashmir could lead to instability and chaos.

In a democracy, he noted, a government elected by an overwhelming majority cannot be ignored, nor can hurdles be justified in its functioning.

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