Srinagar: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said on Tuesday that the Centre was “repeating its mistake” of looking at the Kashmir issue through the “security prism”.
He reiterated his demand for a dialogue with all stakeholders including Pakistan to address the crisis in the Valley.
“Today, Kashmiris are annoyed with New Delhi as never before. Despite repeatedly highlighting the political problem of Kashmir and the attached wishes and aspirations, New Delhi is repeating the mistake of viewing the crisis in Kashmir through the prism of security,” Abdullah, a former chief minister, said in a statement.
Expressing concern over the continued bloodshed and an atmosphere of fear in the Valley, the National Conference leader said that resolution of the Kashmir issue through political initiative can only guarantee peace in the region.
“For that, it is imperative to start an early dialogue and bring Pakistan and other stakeholders to the negotiating table,” he said.
He said the anger among Kashmiris would be addressed, paving the way for improvement in the situation “if justice is done by restoring democratic and constitutional rights which have been snatched from the state”.
Abdullah, however, rued that the Centre’s policy of “indifference and rigidity” has led to manifold increase in the “estrangement and dissociation” among the Kashmiris.
“The BJP government at the Centre, instead of addressing the anger of Kashmiris through political initiatives, is conspiring against Article 370 of the Constitution which guarantees special status to Jammu and Kashmir to push Kashmiris further into darkness,”
“A well thought out conspiracy has been hatched to push Kashmiris into economic deprivation and force youth to stay away from pursuing their studies,” the NC leader alleged.
Referring to the autonomy resolution passed by his government in 2000, seeking restoration of pre-1953 position to the state, Abdullah said at that time he had cautioned the Centre against rejecting the resolution and the prevailing situation had proved him right.
“When the NC government passed the resolution for restoration of autonomy, I cautioned the Centre at that time that if you do not honour the resolution, the time will come when you will look for buyers but won’t find anyone,”
“Today, the situation has taken such a turn, it seems that time has come (no buyers for autonomy),” he said.
Lashing out at the PDP-led government, he said the present dispensation has miserably failed to protect the lives and property of the people of the state.
“The Centre has left the state at the mercy of incapable government and forces,” he alleged.
