Former Chief Minister and vice president of National Conference Omar Abdullah on Monday lambasted the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress stalwart Ghulam Nabi Azad for his statement on Article 370.
Azad on Sunday said that there was no point in raising the Article 370 issue. "Our demand is the restoration of statehood and the conduct of elections in J&K without any delay, there is no point in talking of any other issue such as 370 which we have already discussed in the Parliament", Azad said while addressing a rally in Kashmir Valley on Sunday.
Omar reacts strongly against Azad's statement
"I am disappointed by the statement given by Ghulam Nabi Azad as he is a senior leader and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir", Omar said while reacting to Congress leader's statement.
"If Article 370 is our heritage, it is also your party's legacy more than ours. It was first prime minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru of the Congress who brought Article 370 and today Congressmen are not willing to safeguard their legacy. So, how can one expect it to save the people," he reminded Azad.
The NC leader said the Congressmen have taken a decision before the court which is yet to start hearing the petitions filed before it against the abrogation of Article 370.
"If they are not ready to fight this battle, no issue, we will single-handedly take it to its logical conclusion. We will fight because this fight is linked to the future of the people of J&K, its jobs and land which is the priority of the locals," he said and argued that their fight was based on justice and for restoration of honour and dignity which was snatched from them unconstitutionally.
Earlier Congress had associated with Gupkar Alliance
Within days after announcing to fight District Development Councils (DDCs) elections with Peoples' Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) in December 2020, Congress had disassociated from the PADG-a multi-party amalgam formed for the restoration of the Article 370, 35-A and statehood.
Senior Congress leaders had participated in a series of PAGD meetings but due to BJP's criticism, the party announced not to become part of the Alliance.
Restoration of 370 is impossible; Congress appears to be reconciled
The principal opposition party of the country, Congress appeared to be reconciled with the fact that Article 370 is not going to be restored in the erstwhile state of J&K as the party is avoiding raising this demand.
Recently, during a meeting of senior Congress leaders at Jammu demand for restoration of statehood was vociferously raised but not even a single leader raised the issue of Article 370 or 35-A.
"There is unanimity among leaders that demand of restoring Article 370 demand is not going to be fulfilled so it is better to avoid this issue," a senior Congress leader said on the condition of anonymity.
