No Breach of Peace Even if SC Verdict on Article 370 is Unfavourable: Omar Abdullah
Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah said on Sunday that the people of Jammu and Kashmir will not commit a breach of the peace even if the Supreme Court (SC) upholds the decision taken by the Union Government in August 2019 to revoke the special status granted under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution to the erstwhile state.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) V.K. Birdi has said that adequate security arrangements have been made to ensure a peaceful atmosphere in the region after the SC pronounced its judgement on a batch of pleas challenging the abrogation of Article 370 on Monday. “We are duty-bound to ensure that peace prevails in the Valley under all circumstances,” he said here.
Terming the police’s “crackdown” on opposition workers as “unfortunate”, Mr. Abdullah said, “They (police) should trust people. When did the people of this place take the law into their own hands during the past four years”?
While speaking to reporters in the northwestern town of Rafiabad, the former chief minister said the people of Kashmir are quite angry at the violence being unleashed in Gaza, yet they are using their head and not venting out their anger on the streets. “Today when we all are very angry about Gaza, people are using their brains and not trying to disturb the atmosphere. Likewise, they will not commit a breach of peace; hence the police don’t need to go in for the arrest spree. They should instead trust them.”
Earlier in his address at an NC rally, Mr. Abdullah said that his party will continue with its fight for the restoration of the rights of the people of J&K through peaceful means as laid down in the Constitution.
The Supreme Court will give its verdict tomorrow, let it. If we had to disturb the situation, we would have done it after 2019. However, we said it then and we reiterate it today that our fight will be peaceful and in accordance with the Constitution, taking help of the law for protecting our rights and preserving our identity”, he said.
The NC leader said, “When we went to the Supreme Court in 2019 we went there with the hope to get justice. Our feelings today are the same. We were eagerly waiting for it (SC’s judgement). Tomorrow Chief Justice and four other honourable judges will pronounce their verdict. We’re hopeful that justice will be done.”
Mr. Abdullah said that his party activists are being summoned to police stations since Saturday night and threatened. “How do you know what the verdict is? Maybe it is in our favour. Then what is the need to call my party colleagues to police stations?”, he asked. He claimed that the NC activists are being asked not to write anything on the issue on social media. “Are these threats only for the NC? Tell me whether you have called a BJP leader (to a police station). God willing, if the verdict goes against them, what will you do if they start writing against it on Facebook?” he asked.
Meanwhile, former chief minister and Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said here on Sunday that the people of J&K have been waiting for the past more than four years for justice to be delivered to them. “Not only are the people of J&K emotionally attached to Articles 370 and 35A, these are vital for them as being also about advantages and disadvantages to them,” he said while speaking to reporters here.
He said, “I hope and pray the Supreme Court restores both these constitutional provisions which are essential for the people of J&K for today and tomorrow.” He said that he has been saying since August 5, 2019 that that only the Parliament or SC can return Articles 370 and 35A. “Even in Parliament only the party which has a majority can do it. For the past over four years, we've been waiting for the Supreme Court’s pronouncing its judgement in our favour. The bench which had heard the case is non-partisan and pro-people and we hope that it will give a decision in favour of the people of J&K,” he said.
