Rift within J&K opposition ranks opens over position on Article 370

The rift within opposition ranks in Jammu and Kashmir is coming to the fore with each passing day with the National Conference (NC), the PDP and the Congress targeting each other over the revocation of erstwhile state’s special status under Article 370.

Former chief minister and National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah said that had People’s Democratic Party (PDP) patron and former CM, late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed not entered into an alliance with the BJP after 2014 Assembly elections, the erstwhile state’s special status under Article 370 could have been saved.

“We were aware of the intentions of the BJP and even warned him of the repercussions of his bonhomie with BJP. The NC even offered unconditional support to the PDP then to form the government,” he said while addressing a public gathering in Jammu.

However, late Mufti had his compulsions and took a decision, he said and referred to a famous couplet “lamhon ne khata ki thi, sadiyon ne saza payi” (Much injustice has been seen by the eyes of history / when for a mistake made by a moment, centuries were punished.”

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“We do not know how long we have to suffer for that decision,” Omar said.

Reacting to Omar’s assertion, senior PDP leader Naeem Akhtar said they don’t know on what basis such a statement was issued by the NC leader. “PDP will continue with its stand till the rights of people are not restored. Such absurd statements would not let us down,” Akhter was quoted by a local news gathering agency as having said.

Earlier this week, Omar contested senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’s observation that it was “futile to talk about Article 370 as it won’t be restored.” The NC leader reminded him that the Congress party had incorporated it in the Constitution and the Sonia Gandhi-led party had conceded “defeat” at the outset.

Azad had said that he raised his voice and talked continuously for two years in Parliament regarding Article 370. “But now is the time to move on and restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and early Assembly elections will be my top priority,” he had said.

The NC and the PDP are the two main constituents of People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) which was floated by the Kashmir based mainstream political parties in October last year on the slogan of restoring the special status of the erstwhile state. The alliance emerged as the single-largest party in the first-ever District Development Council polls held in December last year in J&K by bagging 110 seats.

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