Srinagar: A day after describing Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as a part of Pakistan, former Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah has said that the efforts of the Centre’s special representative for Kashmir, Dineshwar Sharma, can move forward only if his final report is tabled in Parliament for discussion.
Dr Abdullah, 80, who is president of the National Conference (NC), the state’s main Opposition party, also cautioned that any attempt at abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution — that gives autonomous status to Jammu & Kashmir — will further aggravate the situation in the state. He stressed that New Delhi also needs to explain what it wishes to achieve by appointing Mr Sharma as a special representative for talks on Kashmir.
Different voices emerging from power corridors had reduced him to a “zero” even before he could start the talks, he said.
Dr Abdullah stressed that he had never been against talks, but was “baffled by the lack of clarity” on the Centre’s move.
Meanwhile, the BJP hit back at the NC president for calling PoK a part of Pakistan. Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, while talking to reporters in Mumbai, said: “Farooq Abdullah saab bujurg vyakti hain, kabhi kabhi behki baatein karate hain (Dr Abdullah is a senior leader, but he talks irrationally sometimes).
The NC leader had on Saturday said that PoK belongs to Pakistan and “this won’t change” no matter how many wars India and Pakistan fight.
His statement had come a few days after Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi rejected the idea of an “independent Kashmir”, saying it was not based on “reality”. On the Kashmir talks, Dr Abdullah assailed the alleged confusion in New Delhi over the purpose of appointing a representative.
Asked why he did not meet Mr Sharma, who was on a four-day visit to the Valley last week, Dr Abdullah said, “I thought it’s of no use until Delhi makes it clear that he has some powers and that whatever he finally recommends will be taken up in Parliament. That is the only way forward.”
He was also sceptical about the success of Mr Sharma’s mission. “I don’t see it progressing unless the Government of India makes its mind clear and gives him that authority (of tabling the report). Otherwise, he will be subservient to (national security adviser Ajit) Doval,” he said, pointing at the failure of earlier interlocutors.
Dr Abdullah said any effort so solve the Kashmir issue had to include Pakistan. “When I talk about the Kashmir issue, I mean the entire Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. This is not only a developmental issue, but also a political issue, and this political issue also involves Pakistan, as a part of this state is with them.”
Unless Pakistan is taken on board, “whatever we decide with Delhi will not carry any weight”, he said. “The skirmishes between the two countries at the border are only leading to death and destruction. This needs to be stopped,” he said.
Dr Abdullah said “to the best of his understanding”, granting autonomy would be “the best possible solution” as it was within the provisions of the Constitution.
“Now there are some problems as far as autonomy is concerned. We have repeatedly said we can discuss (them)... If there is anything in that autonomy report which will not (be of) benefit... We can look into them, either they (the Centre) convince us or we will convince them,” he said.
Dr Abdullah also made it clear that his party had said nothing against accession to the Indian Union. “Never have we asked for azadi,” he said People of the state, he said, were aware of the “agenda of the BJP and RSS” of abrogating Article 370.
“But let me warn you, it will further aggravate the situation. Nobody will be here for autonomy... Everyone will shout for ‘azadi’. At that time don’t blame me,” he said.
Dr Abdullah said he has had a number of meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “His speech from the Red Fort on Independence day asking all countrymen to embrace Kashmiris was a nice gesture. However, his team down below has not been translating these words into action,” he said.
