‘NC-Congress will ensure statehood for J&K’: Farooq Abdullah responds to Amit Shah

At his Jammu rally on Saturday, Union home minister and BJP leader Amit Shah asked NC-Congress to stop ‘misleading’ people on the issue of statehood.

Published on: Sep 8, 2024, 10:42:17 IST

By HT News Desk

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Stating confidently that the alliance of National Conference (NC) and Congress will be victorious in the upcoming assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, NC supremo Farooq Abdullah on Sunday asserted the parties will get statehood restored in Jammu and Kashmir.

NC supremo Farooq Abdullah (2nd from right) with son Omar (extreme left) and Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge (2nd from left) and Rahul Gandhi (extreme right) during a recent meeting in Srinagar.

“National Conference and Congress will ensure that we get our statehood back,” the veteran politician told reporters.

The former J&K chief minister was responding to a statement by Union home minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Shah from the previous day. Addressing a BJP rally in Jammu city, Shah accused NC and Congress of ‘misleading’ people on statehood, which, he pointed out, can be restored only by the Centre.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has been the country's ruling coalition since May 2014.

In October 2019, Jammu and Kashmir's statehood was withdrawn, and two new Union territories came out of it: J&K, and Ladakh.

Abdullah, meanwhile, also claimed that despite abrogation of Article 370, there was no end to terrorism in the Valley.

“They say if the NC and Congress come to power, terrorism will start again. I ask them, when they abolished Article 370, did terrorism end?” he asked.

Article 370 of the Constitution of India was revoked by the BJP-led government in August 2019, less than two months after it won its second consecutive term. Article 370 gave ‘special status’ to Jammu and Kashmir.

In its first assembly election since December 2014, Jammu and Kashmir will poll on September 18, 25, and October 1. The counting of votes will be conducted on October 8, on the same day as Haryana, where polling is on October 5.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.