Srinagar: National Conference patron and former three-time Chief Minister of the state, Farooq Abdullah on Saturday accused New Delhi of betraying people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a youth convention here, Farooq, who is also incumbent member parliament from Srinagar, also accused the government usurping the constitutional and democratic rights of people the Jammu and Kashmir.
“India did not behave well with us. The country reneged on promises made to us. It betrayed us. It usurped our constitutional and political rights. It did not respect the love and affection with Maharaja entered into conditional accession and it is the basic reason for the crisis,” Farooq said as per a statement issued in Urdu here.
Reiterating demand for autonomy, he said that it was “our right and New Delhi without wait should restore it. “It is the only way to peace.”
Reminding government of India of “conditional” accession, Farooq said: “You don’t remember accession and claim Pakistan administered Kashmir to be your part.”
“If that part of the Kashmir is really yours, you should talk of reality about the accession. Why do you forget conditions under which accession was done,” he said.
He also reiterated that autonomy to both sides of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir was the only viable solution to decades old problem.
He said that Kashmir was surrounded by three nuclear powers. “India, Pakistan and China have atom bomb and we have nothing except Allah’s name,” he said. Farooq said that national conference would readily accept any solution other the autonomy if it was acceptable to all.
He said that there has been a well planned and executed political conspiracy to aggravate the situation by fiddling with Article 35 A and Art 370 of Indian Constitution “not once but consistently.”