Srinagar, January 10, 2023 (PPI-OT):Ammu and Kashmir National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah has torn apart the Modi regime’s argument, which he gave while revoking Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in August 2019 by saying that the repealing of Article 370 will end uprising, and said the claim has fallen flat with the arming of Village Defense Guards with weapons. Talking to media persons in Islamabad district, he said, “On 5 August 2019, it was said that the gun in Kashmir is because of Article 370 and with repealing of Article 370, the gun culture will start to subside. However, as is clear, that is not the case on ground.”
He went on to add that the kind of attack “we saw in Rajouri and the situation in Kashmir, the numbers of forces’ personnel are being increased all this points to the fact that the situation is not under control. “The authorities are now compelled to take these steps,” he added. Omar Abdullah said election is the right of the people but Kashmiris will not beg before New Delhi to hold polls in Jammu and Kashmir.
“If elections are not held this year, so be it! We are not beggars. I have said it time and again, Kashmiris are not beggars. Election is our right but we will not beg before them for this right. They want to restore the elections to us, well. But if they don’t want to do it, so be it,” Omar added. Asked about the eviction of people from properties and lands, Omar said it was one of the reasons why elections were not being held in Jammu and Kashmir.
“That’s why they are not holding elections. They want to harass the people. Instead of applying balm to the wounds of people, they seem to have a penchant to aggravate the hurt,” he said. The former chief minister said the BJP government knows that an elected government will try to heal the wounds of the people while they only allegedly rub salt and chilli into them. Asked about the Modi regime’s decision to arm the Village Defence Guards, Omar said this was an admission that New Delhi’s claims at the time of abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 had fallen flat.
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