Stop theatrics on Article 35-A: Sehrai tells Omar

Srinagar : Accusing New Delhi of attempting to merge J&K with India by fiddling with Article 35-A, newly elected chairman of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH) Mohammad Ashraf Sehrahi on Sunday said that the article was introduced in Maharaja rule in 1927 and fiddling with it now was aimed to change the demography of the state.
Sehrai who was elected as Chairman of TeH for next three years castigated former Chief Minster and National Conference Vice president Omar Abdullah. While asking Omar to stop playing theatrics and delivering lectures on Article 35-A, the separatist leader said that it was his (Omar’s) own grandfather Late Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah who for the sake of power gifted Kashmir to India. Sehrai said that Abdullah family has been on the forefront in creating the Kashmir problem. He added that later New Delhi introduced many other mainstream politicians like Bakhshi Ghulam Mohammad, Syed Meer Qasim and Ghulam Mohammad Sadiq who supported India in extending its footprints in the state.
He said be it NC, PDP or Congress everyone is involved in consolidating India’s illegal rule over Kashmir.
Sehrai further said that the Kashmir issue is becoming more serious day by day and separatist Camp under was ready to face the challenge. He said TeH would support JRL programmes. He added that New Delhi was trying hard to change the demography of the state which will be opposed tooth and nail.
Though Kashmiris have never accepted the accession with India however defending Article 35-A has become inevitable due to its potential to change the demography of the state. He said the change in demography of J&K would have an impact in the plebiscite later. He added the Government of India has been imposing the puppet governments in J&K and now if there is Governor Rule it hardly matters for them.
Earlier Sehrai was elected as Tehreek-e-Hurriyat chairman in an election held on TeH Srinagar headquarters on Sunday morning. Sehrai secured 410 votes against the total 433 votes. This is the first time Sehrai contested elections for TeH chairman. Earlier this year senior separatist leader and TeH former chairman Syed Ali Geelani had nominated Sehrai as interim chairman.