Srinagar, Sept 09: National Conference (NC) president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Monday vowed to bring back Article 370 to J&K “even if it takes 20 years”.
“Although it may take time, we will bring back Article 370. It took them (BJP) years to abrogate it; maybe it will take us time to restore it, even if it takes 20 years,” he said while talking to reporters in the Pattan area of both Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Abdullah was accompanying Riyaz Bedar who filed his nomination papers at SDM office Pattan.
Reacting to Union Minister Amit Shah’s remarks in Jammu that NC and PDP are dreaming of bringing back Article 370 to J&K, he said, “BJP was claiming that terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir was because of Article 370. They are now in government for the past five years in Jammu & Kashmir. Then where from does the terrorism come.”
Asked about the Indian Airlines plane hijacked to Kandahar in 1999, the former chief minister said he had already conveyed to New Delhi leadership to talk to terrorists but they refused and released the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad leader Masood Azhar and others who are running this all.
On Mehbooba Mufti’s statement that PDP put a stop to NC’s autocratic rule, Farooq said he feels sorry for her.
“For 20 years, her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed remained associated with the Congress party; then who forced him to leave the party and form PDP,” he asked.
Abdullah expressed confidence that the NC-Congress alliance will be victorious in the upcoming elections in Jammu & Kashmir.
About former J&K Congress president Vikar Rasool Wani’s allegations that NC did nothing for Banihal, the former CM said, “NC-Congress alliance will remain intact without Vikar. Let him say what he wants.”
He said the party is expecting good support in Pattan Constituency and has strong candidates in the area.
Before leaving Srinagar, the NC president held a meeting with the party workers at Bedar’s residence, where several people had arrived to express support for the party.
Meanwhile, NC Candidate for Pattan, Riyaz Bedar said that the party is committed to addressing the pressing issues faced by the community, including infrastructure development, better healthcare facilities and employment opportunities for the youth.
Bedar promised that, if elected, he would work tirelessly to ensure the constituency’s progress and well-being, putting people’s needs at the forefront of his agenda.
