Srinagar: National Conference (NC) leader and MLA Hazratbal, Salman Ali Sagar Friday said that decision of Article 370 abrogation by Supreme Court of India was “politically motivated”.
He also said that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s engagement with the Centre offered hope to people of Jammu and Kashmir regarding restoration of statehood.
Commenting on the recent remarks of former CJI DY Chandrachud defending the nullification of the special status of Jammu & Kashmir under Article 370 and 35(A), the NC leader said these are special provisions and cannot be considered temporary.
“The people of Jammu & Kashmir still believe that Article 370 has to be restored,” he stated.
The former CJI in an interview maintained that Article 370 was always intended as a “transitional provision” in the Constitution. His remarks came in response to criticism from legal scholars disappointed with the Supreme Court’s ruling.
On December 13, 2024, a Constitution bench led by Chandrachud had unanimously upheld the President’s power to revoke Article 370 in August 2019.
NC leader Sagar, however, accused the Supreme Court of lacking clarity on the issue. “Unfortunately, the Supreme Court itself was not clear on the matter and seemed to be motivated by the government rather than delivering a fair judgment for the people. The verdict appeared tilted towards the government,” he said.
Regarding the timeline for restoring statehood to Jammu & Kashmir, Sagar noted that the government has not provided a definitive time frame yet. However, he expressed optimism, citing assurances from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
“Post-election, the weight of such matters increases because we have the public mandate. An elected government holds more power due to the strength of popular support,” he added.
When asked about the chief minister’s recent interview in which he stated that ties with the Central government will be revisited if promises are not delivered, Sagar reaffirmed his confidence in Omar Abdullah’s leadership, saying “We have faith in Omar Abdullah’s judgment. We all should support him—MLAs and the people alike. He wants to restore statehood as soon as possible. He doesn’t seek confrontation with the Centre, but his engagement offers hope to the people”.
