Farooq Abdullah offers supports to Hurriyat for people's rights

Srinagar: Former Union minister and Opposition National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah said that he and his party will throw their weight behind the separatist Hurriyat Conference in the struggle to getting the people of Kashmir their political right.

“It is not a question of whether I support the Hurriyat or am against it. I’m with them as far as their asking for the right of the people is concerned. We in the National Conference were never against those who talk for the political rights of the people of Kashmir nor are we against them today,” he said when asked to elaborate on his assertion earlier that the NC was with the united separatist leadership in pursuing the “just cause” of their people.

“Farooq Abdullah never spoke anything that could be dubbed as anti national. Kashmir issue is a reality. I didn’t create this masla.”

It continues to be on the agenda of the United Nations Organisation. Indira Gandhiji as Prime Minister of India and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as her counterpart from Pakistan signed an agreement at Shimla in 1972 which also acknowledged the issue of Kashmir and agreed to resolve it amicably through dialogue,” he said.

Replying questions, he said that he understands that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to address the issue of Kashmir. Even if that is not the case, he strongly believed that they “ought to resolve Kashmir through the process of dialogue one day” as there was “no other way out” for them.

Taking a dig at the Prime Minister over his recent statement threatening to stop the flow of river water to Pakistan, he said that these rivers which were already with it (Pakistan).

He said that the average Indian was not aware of the ground realities and, therefore, is being misled through a section of the media on such issues.

Earlier while speaking at the commemorative rally held beside the mausoleum of his father and legendry Kashmiri leader Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah at Naseem Bagh here on his birth anniversary, Mr Abdullah said that the people of Kashmir were struggling for their haque (right) and have suffered enormously during the past five months. “It was Maharaja who acceded to India. Some people are trying to hold Sheikh Sahib responsible for it. He was in jail when the Instrument of Accession was signed by the Maharaja. Had Pakistan not attacked Kashmir, the Maharaja would have opted for independent Jammu and Kashmir. One doesn’t know what God has destined for the people of Kashmir,” he said. He added that the accession with India was restricted to defence, communications and foreign affairs only and the rest will stay with the people of the State.

Mr Abdullah said he was facing the Hazratbal shrine which houses the holy relic of Prophet Muhammad hence would not hesitate in saying that those who say they will bring the people of Kashmir aazadi are just indulging in propaganda. “What aazadi? Thousands of people are languishing in jails whereas many have been blinded in the shotgun pellet use. People are being murdered in police stations. Only yesterday over fifty children were arrested. This will not stop nor can it be crushed. The fire Kashmir has been engulfed in can’t be doused unless they talk to Pakistan to resolve the problem,” he said.     

Mr Abdullah urged the two countries to exercise retrain along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir. “It is the people of Kashmir who suffer in these border skirmishes. Wahaan kay logoon ka nuksaan hota hai aur yahaan kay logoon ka bhi. Both are parts of Kashmir,” he said.