National Conference chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah talks to Bindiya Raina of The News Now about the present situation of J&K, and his party.
“Dehshat pehle bhi thi, aaj bhi hai, aage bhi rahegi. Mulk chalta rahega. Ghabrane ki baat nahi hai.”
Q1 Two senior leaders of your party recently joined BJP, a completely different party in terms of ideology. What do you have to say?
Ans I don’t want to comment on this. You may ask them.
Q2 Did they leave the party because of NC’s CM candidate? Rumors are that ‘Omar Abdullah won’t be contesting the elections, and Devender Singh Rana would support NC only if Abdullah father-son duo contests elections.’
Ans I have no idea about this, and I don’t want to comment on this. It is their thinking.
Q3 Devender Singh Rana, in an interview, said that he’s leaving NC to serve the interests of Jammu region. Is he saying that despite your party being in power for so many years, it has not been able to talk about Jammu?
Ans If we hadn’t, Jammu wouldn’t have prospered. There was just one bridge over River Tawi, now there are five. Who built them? There was a small hospital, hardly with 200 beds, now there’s a huge medical institution. By-pass, Bagh-e-Bahu, ropeway, artificial lake, all of it has been given by us. It is a misconception that we didn’t work for Jammu. We have always considered this riyasat as consisting of three regions – Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
Q4 In a press conference yesterday, you asserted that J&K can’t be separated and also talked about politics of hatred.
Ans Those who want to separate Jammu and Kashmir regions, they’ll cause problems for India. Politics of hatred will have implications on our people, or jawans.
Q5 The Kashmir situation has recently worsened with increased civilian killings. People fear that 1990s might be repeated, which had caused Kashmiri Pandit migration.
Ans We have asked Center again and again to appoint a judge, and enquire into who and what caused the migration, who sent the vehicles for transporting the pandits to Jammu, who lied to them that they’ll be brought back in 2 months when situation normalizes. Why doesn’t center investigate into it?
Q6 Non locals are leaving Kashmir in view of the killings. They are extremely worried.
Ans Not only them, the Muslims of Kashmir are also worried.
Q7 With 80% of the workforce gone, how much will be the industry of Kashmir be affected?
Who says it won’t affect the industry here? Govt should investigate into these killings. They have taken in custody some 800-900 people. Are they terrorists? It is going to worsen the situation and not help strengthening India, as the govt thinks.
Q8 When identification of terrorists is done, they are mostly found to be locals.
Ans Yes they are locals.
Q9 Should we assume that the acceptability for non locals has decreased amongst locals?
Ans Govt had promised 50000 jobs, growth, big industries, after abrogation of Article 370. Do we see any promises delivered? What will an unemployed youth do? Especially when he sees the whole country burning with communal politics, will he sit quiet? There are no elections, no grievance redressal.
Q10 So should they follow the path of terrorism?
Ans Ask those in power at center.
Q11 Govt makes claims of development, especially for Kashmir, and its people.
Ans Ask them to publish the white paper of this ‘development’. Where is it happening? Claims can be made for anything, but the ground reality is different. High rates of pulses, cylinder, petrol, diesel is affecting a common man.
Q12 You talked of some people linked to RSS are settling in J&K.
Ans Go and see that yourself. Those people are being brought and settled here. Hatred is being spread here in India, in our homes. With what objective? Bengal has rejected these people. Mamata has strongly stood in front of them.
Q13 NC was viewed as a strong party in both Jammu and Kashmir regions. But, the senior leaders are leaving the party.
Ans Our party is very strong. People have left the party earlier, and will do so in future too. That doesn’t really affect the party. We’ll remain strong.
Q14 Do you see an end to all that is happening in Kashmir?
Yes I see an end to this, when Pakistan and India sit together and find a solution. It is vital, if we have to destroy communal politics of the country. I remember the words of a BJP leader, ‘dost badle ja sakte hain, lekin padosi nahi.
Q15 Are you hinting that terrorist activities are sponsored and supported by Pakistan?
Ans I see people questioning Pakistan for such activities. They should check their own involvement in this. Are people in India not responsible for this?
Q16 NC will come in coalition in next elections?
I don’t see elections happening anytime soon. Delimitation is yet to complete. We hope that the constituencies will be correctly carved out and people are relieved. We haven’t been invited to meetings to discuss.
Q17 Who’ll be the CM candidate from NC?
We’ll decide then. We have a lot of leaders.
Also: Read my article at The News Now
Farooq Abdullah questions KPs exodus in 90s
Published in The News Now on 23rd October, 2021
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