Srinagar: PDP leader and former trade unionist Abdul Qayoom Wani on Thursday renounced politics in protest against the Centre’s decision to repeal Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into Union Territories.
Wani, a trade union leader, had joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2019.
“I am renouncing politics to protest against the illegal and unconstitutional decision of the Centre regarding abrogation of Article 370 and repeal of Article 35A,” he said in a statement.
Wani contested from north Kashmir’s Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency on a PDP ticket and stood fourth.
He demanded that the Centre should release all mainstream and separatist politicians who have been arrested after the government’s August 5, 2019 decision to abrogate Article 370, which gave special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
He said, he remained in politics for just one year and during that too, he remained in Central Jail Srinagar for six months post August 05, but added that during this period he observed and confronted huge political realities which opened his eyes. He said his 30 years trade union leader carrier was an open book and added that, “I have always respected the sentiments of the employees and common people for which I have faced the brunt of various governments in the erstwhile state and was even thrown behind the bars many times but it never broke my resolve in serving the public and the employees community.
