Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah says only talks can resolve issues between India and China, and India and Pakistan.
“India-China or India-Pakistan, the only future is talks. War is not a solution,” Abdullah said on Sunday. He was talking to reporters in South Kashmir where he had gone to express condolence to his party leader over the death of his mother.
On the abrogation of Article 370, the former CM said, “We are saying we are united against everything they (Centre) have done. It is illegal, unconstitutional. How do you think I am going to accept what is unconstitutional.”
Abdullah was released on March 13 this year and since then he is keeping a low profile. He was arrested on August 5, 2019, the day the BJP government abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories -- Ladakh and J&K. One of the charges in the PSA dossier against Abdullah was his statement wherein he is quoted as having said, “If Article 370 is temporary, then Jammu and Kashmir’s ties with India are also temporary.” After his release, Dr Farooq for long refused to talk about political issues. Soon after his release he had said he will not talk politics till all leaders are released.
However, on June 19, in a first political statement amid India-China stand-off along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, Farooq’s party sought restoration of Article 370 and nullification of decisions taken on August 5, 2019 regarding Jammu and Kashmir by the BJP government.
“We demand immediate annulment of all 5th August 2019 decisions and restoration of the 4th August 2019 constitutional position of Jammu and Kashmir,” a statement issued by National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah jointly with other leaders of the party had said. Since then, Dr. Abdullah, has given the first statement today about Article 370.
