National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the BJP was making attempts to set up the next Jammu and Kashmir Assembly to endorse the August 5, 2019 decisions, and asserted that the People’s Alliance for the Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) was “the only platform to defeat this design”.
“Attempts were being made [by the BJP] to set up the next Assembly to pass a resolution in favour of the August 5 decisions with a majority. The same resolution will be then produced before the Supreme Court with the plea that the people of J&K were satisfied with the August 5 decisions,” the former Chief Minister stated at a public rally in north Kashmir’s Bandipora.
The NC had passed a resolution on the restoration of internal autonomy in 2000. “This resolution is binding on all the coming regimes in J&K the same way the resolution passed by Parliament on J&K being an integral part of India remains a reference point for all governments in Delhi to implement. Now, the BJP is planning to bring fresh resolution in the J&K Assembly,” he observed.
The Gupkar alliance, which was constituted by NC founder Dr. Farooq Abdullah, remained “the only force to defeat these designs of the BJP”.
“There were attempts to break this platform. But this platform, with whatever strength now, will ensure no division of votes in Kashmir takes place,” he said.
‘Bid to divide votes’
The BJP knew it would not be able to pass a pro-August 5 resolution in the Assembly without support from the Kashmir valley. “That is why, it has propped up parties to divide the votes in the Valley. However, the Gupkar alliance is the platform to defeat these designs,” he noted. The victory of the alliance in the District Development Council (DDC) polls showed “people of J&K were not happy with the August 5 decisions of the Centre”.
Describing the August 5, 2019 move as an “unconstitutional” and “unpopular” decision, he stressed that the plea challenging the August 5 decision was not being heard “because we have a strong case”.
“The then Governor could not have assumed the role of the J&K Constituent Aassembly. We have a strong case in the Supreme Court. However, the BJP would attempt to pass the resolution in the Assembly to weaken our case,” he said.
He asked his supporters to strengthen the NC to “save J&K’s identity, safeguard jobs and its future generations”.
“Our party leaders went to jail themselves and did not send others. We did not take to any agitation,” he added.
