Srinagar: Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Sunil Sharma, launched an attack on the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), accusing the party of ignoring the Pahalgam terrorist attack and the sacrifices made by Indian security forces during Operation Sindoor.
Speaking in a 5-minute video statement, Sharma said, “For the first time, not only India but the entire world has seen such a response to a terrorist incident. The courage shown by our forces during Operation Vermilion is unmatched.”
He added that it was surprising that the JKNC, in its Executive Committee meeting, passed seven resolutions but did not mention the army or the security forces even once.
“There is no appreciation, no recognition of the bravery of our forces. The sacrifice they made for Jammu and Kashmir, for the unity and integrity of India, has not been acknowledged by the National Conference,” Sharma said.
He questioned why the resolutions did not include any reference to terrorism or Pakistan. “Pakistan-sponsored terrorists killed 26 innocent people. Yet there is no mention of Pakistan, no mention of terrorism. What kind of sympathy is this?” he asked.
Sharma said the JKNC was more focused on demanding the restoration of Article 370 and statehood instead of standing with the nation during a time of crisis. “They are talking about special status. What special status? There is no such thing in the Indian Constitution. The Supreme Court never mentioned ‘special status’ in its verdict either,” he said.
According to him, bringing up Article 370 again is an insult to the Constitution and the Supreme Court’s decision. “370 is history. It has been buried. It’s not coming back,” he said.
Sharma also criticized the timing of JKNC’s political demands. “Is this the right time to talk about statehood? You (JKNC) should be visiting the border areas, Arnia, Hiranagar, Akhnoor and other areas. You should be meeting people in Rajouri, Poonch, Tangdhar. If you cannot provide relief, at least ask the Indian government for help,” he said.
He claimed that the JKNC, which has ruled J&K for three generations, never cared about the people. “You are concerned about protocol, not people. You want statehood, you want status. But you are silent on the suffering of the people, silent on terrorism, silent on Pakistan,” Sharma said.
He said matters of foreign affairs and national security belong to the Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister, not to a state-level party. “A constitutional state like Jammu and Kashmir should not be interfering in foreign policy. The central government has a clear and firm policy,” he said.
