SRINAGAR: National conference vice-president Omar Abdullah has called for a ‘separate Prime Minister’ for the state of Jammu and Kashmir in BJP’s pitch to abolish Article 370 and 35A.
Omar Abdullah while addressing in Bandipora in response to BJP chief Amit Shah’s claim of abrogating Article 370 and 35A from Kashmir to resolve its issue.
Union Minister Arun Jaitley in the past had called Article 35A a ‘historic blunder’ committed by Jawaharlal Nehru in retaliation to which Omar Abdullah during his address to National Conference workers in a dramatic escalation has called for the state’s own Prime Minister and President.
He said, “Modi said in an interview that by 2020, we will repeal article 35A. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had threatened us that Article 35a and Article 370 will be removed, but Jammu and Kashmir is not like the other states. Other states became a part of India without any conditions. We made conditions. We did not come for free.”
“To maintain our identity distinct, we entered certain things in the Constitution. We said our identity would be ours, we will have our own law, our own flag. At that time we also had our President and Prime Minister, and we will bring that back,” he added.
Abdullah further added that the provision that was passed back in 1949 to ensure special status and internal autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir is being withdrawn now, and in that case if the ‘breaking the condition’ is being spoken about, then they need to speak of ‘governance’ too.
He said, “What is our fault if we asked for something? We also extended the hand of friendship. Now after 70 years you say that the decision we made back then was wrong and now you’re asking to break the condition. There is no doubt that if you speak of breaking the conditions, you have to speak of governance too.” (PTK)
