Srinagar, Jun 23: National Conference (NC) president and former Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah on Monday said the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood is not a favour or mercy from anyone but a constitutional and democratic right of its people.
“Statehood is the right of this state. It is not something to be given out of mercy. It belongs to the people here,” Dr Abdullah said while speaking to reporters here.
Responding to media reports that certain terms and conditions have been fixed for the restoration of J&K’s statehood after fresh Assembly elections, he expressed scepticism and accused sections of the media of misleading the public.
“Which newspaper has written this? Did they get it from the top? Our media here is excellent at spreading lies, they don’t speak the truth,” the NC chief said, urging people not to fall for such “rumours aimed at creating confusion”.
Dr Farooq also announced the formation of a Human Rights Commission Wing within the National Conference, which he said would focus on addressing violations and promoting justice.
“The NC has now formed a Human Rights Wing, which will be chaired by Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi. Two other members have also been named. It was important for us to establish this platform to work on human rights issues,” he said.
The wing, according to a party statement, will be chaired by MLA Pampore, Retired Justice Hasnain Masoodi, a noted jurist and former Member of Parliament.
“Two additional members, including a femal,e will also be appointed to the wing, bringing diverse legal and human rights expertise to the team,” the party said, adding that further details about the wing’s composition and mandate will be announced shortly.
Addressing the role of women in politics, the former CM called on women workers to actively participate in strengthening the party and raising issues that affect their rights and dignity. “This interaction today is about how the National Conference can be made stronger, and how we can solve the issues related to women’s rights,” he told the gathering.
Speaking on the recent US strikes on suspected Iranian nuclear sites, Dr Abdullah warned that the world could be pushed into a larger crisis if such conflicts escalate.
“This is not new. The US and others have long tried to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power. Even many Sunni countries are against it but don’t say so openly,” he said, warning that the situation could spiral dangerously.
“I fear that Israel might attack them too one day. If this war spreads, the economic condition of every country will suffer, including ours in India,” the NC president said, urging world powers to act responsibly and prevent escalation.
