In response to the Centre’s assertion that the abrogation of Article 370 had ended the terror in Jammu and Kashmir, President of the National Conference, Farooq Abdullah, on Sunday asked for the restoration of the statehood after the state territory was carved out and moved into a Union Territory.
Abdullah has asked whether or not there has been eradication of terrorism in the country, and who had committed the killing after the intensified security crackdown in South Kashmir, following two attacks there.
With regard to the attacks against migrant workers, he said, “You have been telling us that the terrorism has come to an end, but who are these killers if the terrorism has come to an end.
He raised more eyebrows over the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Iltija Mufti, the PDP’s leader, said the demands by the National Conference for statehood were a “political tool” for making an “illogical conspiracy theory,” but he added, “this is not the place to discuss it.”
The National Conference has been agitating for a probe into the killings and has been demanding restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood in the past. The issue has been brought back to the fore after the recent attacks, although earlier Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had said after the Pahalgam terror attack, he wouldn’t use the tragedy for the restoration of statehood.
Farooq Abdullah also spoke about the situation in the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), where people were being oppressed. He called on the UN to send a human rights team to the region and faulted India and the world for being less assertive, urging them to press the issue harder.
The re-flaring up of the debate has again revived the security, terrorism and statehood issues in the political discourse of Jammu and Kashmir.