Kashmiris are not free people, they are slaves: Farooq Abdullah

Srinagar, July 27, 2021 (PPI-OT):Days before the second anniversary of the scrapping of the erstwhile state’s special status of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on 5th August, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah has warned the government of India to rethink about Article 370 if it wants the people of Kashmir, and not just the land.

In an interview to Indian media, ahead of 5th August, second anniversary of Article 370 revocation, NC President Farooq Abdullah spoke at length about Modi govt’s treatment of people in Kashmir pointing out that the people of Kashmir were not free people but slaves.

A question about PM Modi’s jibe about political dynasties having “looted” Kashmir got Farooq Abdullah agitated. “Modi has always lied. When did you see him telling you the truth? Today when they have got Israeli machines snooping even on your minsters, a judge of the Supreme Court, nearly 40 journalists – even some who are friendly to them, still they lie and say they haven’t done it. So, where is the truth?”

He added: “If three dynasties looted Kashmir, I should have had many palaces. I should be the richest man on this earth. Am I? Am I anywhere near Ambani or Adani?”

So, where does one go from here? The question drew out Farooq Abdullah’s frustration: “Unless they change their mindset, unless they realise that India is not for one religion… so long as we respect diversity, India will last. The day we disturb this diversity, India will be finished. Yes, the cow belt might remain. The rest will go. A time will come. I may not be there to see it but my children and their children will see it.”

Farooq Abdullah said: “We have created a situation where those who are pro-India are more or less hated. Delhi doesn’t want to hear the truth. When I met the Prime Minister (last month) I told him frankly that you have no confidence in us and we have no confidence in Delhi.”

He asked: “Where are the promises that they will win the hearts of the people? Do you win the hearts of the people with force, with BSP, CRPF, local police? Where (in Kashmir) is that freedom that you enjoy in Delhi, anywhere else in India?”

The National Conference chief sounded uncertain about the future course of action. Will he take part in the elections? What if elections are held before the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir?

“I don’t know. I can’t tell you what will happen at that time. It’s still far away. Let’s see what delimitation does.”

Broken Promises

He looked back at history to talk about “broken” promises – Nehru’s “plebiscite promise”, P.V. Narasimha Rao’s “sky-is-the-limit” promise on autonomy demand, Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s “Kashmiriyat, Insaaniyat, and Jamhooriyat”. “Then you (Modi) came. You wiped everything out. We just live. We aren’t free people. We are slaves. That’s what we are,” Abdullah said.

“Nobody in India wants to hear the truth because they don’t want to hear the truth. What are we? Do you see so much of force anywhere in the country that you see here, in every corner? Do you see anywhere in the country that the Army is putting flags up.. Is it a free state? Are we free people of India? I don’t think so.”

‘Forever a boiling point’

The former J and K CM believes Kashmir would always remain “a boiling point for India, Pakistan and China”. “We are stuck because the government doesn’t want to move forward. They will have to find a way with Pakistan.”

Farooq Abdullah was also bitter about the “campaign of hatred against Muslims”. “We are not Chinese or Pakistani or British Muslims. We are Indian Muslims. Look at the hatred they have created in the rest of the nation. Do you think that doesn’t have an effect on a Muslim majority state? I am 86. I have never seen India going this way.”

For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
Phone: +92-51-4435548, +92-51-4435549
Fax: +92-51-4861736
Email: info@kmsnews.org
Website: www.kmsnews.org

Recent Posts