Beerwah, Apr 03: Asserting that India cannot suppress the people of Kashmir with its military might, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said Wednesday that the Centre will have to return the people’s right guaranteed by the Constitution.
“India is not doing justice with us. Had it done justice, we would not have been in the situation we are in. I want to tell (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi, do justice with our people. We do not seek anything else than our rights. We do not seek what is yours, but what is our right,” said Abdullah here, referring to the state’s special status.
Addressing workers’ convention in Beerwah assembly segment, the former Union minister said there was no other option for New Delhi than to return the rights of the people of Kashmir one day.
“We seek the rights of the people of the state which you have taken away. If you think you can suppress us with your Army, you have a misconception. We cannot be suppressed.
“You will have to return our rights one day. Whether I stay alive or not, a day will come when they (New Delhi) will have to give us our rights as there is no other option,” he said.
Abdullah said peace will return to Jammu and Kashmir if the pre-1953 position was restored.
“The NC’s stand is that we have to return to the pre-1953 position because there will be no peace here till then. They (Centre) thinks they can suppress us. Many have come here to suppress us, but by the God’s grace, they had to flee this place. If they do something to this (special status), God willing, they also will have to flee,” he said.
Abdullah said when the country got independence, a Constitution was created in which certain provisions were kept by which the state’s identity could be safeguarded.
“It included Article 370 and Article 35-A. Unfortunately, some of our leaders made Article 370 hollow for their personal gains,” he said while cautioning people to be careful about such leaders.
“But, if you want to save your dignity and the identity of the state, you should hold this flag (NC flag) and remember this plough (NC symbol). Till the time there is this plough, they will not be able to defeat you,” he claimed.
The NC chief said as a representative of the people in the Parliament, he would stand in the way of the Centre and stop them from touching the state’s special status.
“This election is your test. Some party leaders rightly say that Farooq Abdullah will go there (Parliament) and challenge India.
“That I will tell India that your Constitution protects us fully and if you try to amend that Constitution, then Farooq Abdullah will stand in your way and I will see what you can do,” he said.
Flaying BJP president Amit Shah for his remarks that Modi was walking on the path of former prime minister A B Vajpayee, Abdullah said Shah has a misconception.
“No Amit Shah, you have a misconception. Vajpayee was ready to give us autonomy. Where is that ‘insaaniyat’ (humanity), where has that ‘jamhooriyat’ (democracy) gone and where is that Kashmiriyat about which he (Vajpayee) had talked from the ramparts of Red Fort?
“We want that insaaniyat and jamhooriyat where every person can get his rights. This is our fight and, God willing, we will win it. If your support continues, we will win every fight, but you (the people) have to show the courage,” he said.
Abdullah said the BJP-led Central government was “destroying” the state and attacking its identity.
“Time has come that we have to build our future. There is such a government in India right now which is dividing people on religious lines, which is trying to pit Muslims against Hindus. Our fight today is against that and our fight is against those who are trying to create uncertainty in the country,” he said.
Taking a dig at the Congress party over its promise in the manifesto for appointing interlocutors for Kashmir, the NC president said the Congress should rather present the reports of the interlocutors appointed till now in the Parliament.
“The Congress has put few things in their manifesto. I want to tell them that you have already appointed three (interlocutors) in the past. Rather than appointing new interlocutors, present the N N Vohra report, Justice Sagheer report and the report of three interlocutors (appointed during the UPA II regime) in the Parliament and you will come to know what we want,” he said.
