Article 370 abrogation not a watershed moment for country: Farooq Abdullah

Srinagar: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution was not a watershed moment for the country as described by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently.

He questioned the BJP's claims of accelerated development in Jammu and Kashmir post-2019 when the erstwhile state's special status was scrapped and also referred to the rainwater leaking from the new parliament's roof and Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, saying it shows the "tremendous progress" the country is making.

Talking to PTI videos here, Abdullah, who is also a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir accused the BJP of dividing the country on religious lines and said the country must remain united to face external challenges.

Reacting to Modi's statement on the fifth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35(A) on August 5 that the step was a watershed moment in the nation's history, starting a new era of progress and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, Abdullah said, "That's not the nation's history, it is their party's history." "When the Constitution was made, where were they? They wanted a Hindu India. But (Jawaharlal) Nehru, (Sardar Vallabhbhai) Patel, (B R) Ambedkar... all those leaders of that time said no," he added.

He said India is a secular country which believes in unity in diversity.

"What is common between Kashmir and Tamil Nadu or Assam and Bengal or Maharashtra? We don't speak each other's language, we don't share the same cultural things, our food habits are different... But that's what unites all of us to bring out a bright, strong India, which is for all, irrespective of your religion, caste, language, or culture," Abdullah said.

He said Pakistan became a Muslim country and India said "No, we are a multi-religious country, a multilingual country, with multiple languages, and we will stay that way." "But the Sangh (RSS) at the time agreed to Article 370. So, it's not the government, it's the RSS which is doing this. It's not the people of India, it is them. It has been in their manifesto since the start," he said.

Asked about any visible change on the ground since the abrogation of Article 370, he said, "Tremendous change. People are unemployed, economic conditions are terrible and officers, who do not even know a single place or village here, are ruling. So that's the change." He said it is for the people of Jammu and Kashmir to decide whether the change is good or bad for them.

Abdullah also accused the BJP of dividing the country based on religion and said the prime minister's election campaigning in the last general elections is a glaring example of it.

"I am really hurt (by his statements) to the core of my heart. Do you want to make a strong or weak India? If we are not united, we cannot face any challenge from outside," he said.

On the recent incidents of water leakage in the new Parliament building and Ram temple in Ayodhya, he said "That is very good. We are developing. Parliament is leaking, and the Ram Mandir, which was built to ensure that they win the (Lok Sabha) election is also leaking. Great progress. Tremendous progress we are making".