Srinagar : Amid the ongoing Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Saturday alleged that Jammu and Kashmir was downgraded to a Union Territory by the BJP government because the state had a Muslim majority.
“Every time they (BJP) just bring up Pakistan. They make mistakes themselves and then tell us that we are Pakistanis. They say that the alliance between Rahul Gandhi and Farooq Abdullah was formed with Pakistan’s support. Why would we have anything to do with Pakistan? I believe they are the ones who are Pakistanis, yet they claim we are a threat. They say Article 370 is responsible for terrorism, but now they are in power—has terrorism ended?,” he said.
On Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, Abdullah added, “Have you ever heard that a state is made a UT? I have seen UT converted to a state, this happened because this (Jammu and Kashmir) is a Muslim-majority state, they made it a Union Territory and divided this region.”
Abdullah also said that Article 370 was considered responsible for terrorism, but even after its abrogation and with the BJP in power, terrorism had not ended in the erstwhile state.
His remarks came a day after Prime Minister Modi said the NC, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Congress were implementing the neighbouring country’s agenda in Jammu and Kashmir over restoration of Article 370.
