NVI Correspondent
Srinagar, Nov 8 (NVI) Making a strong defence of the special status resolution passed by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said it has given a glimmer of hope to people of Kashmir and provided them “voice” to speak freely.
Replying to the Motion of Thanks to the Lt Governor’s address to the House, he responsded to the criticism that the resolution merely talked about restoration of special status of J&K but did not clearly mention restoration of Article 370.
He said the resolution was consciously worded in such manner so that the current Central government cannot reject it outrightly.
“We chose our words carefully to keep dialogue open with any future government,” Abdullah said.
“We want Jammu and Kashmir to get its special status back, and that resolution should not be rejected by the Centre immediately,” he said and asked, “What more proof of wisdom do you need?”
He said this resolution has given “a glimmer of hope” to people of Kashmir.
“This (Modi) Government won’t remain there forever. Tomorrow, there may be a change. The system will change at some point. So, why should we lock ourselves in a circle and say that this is all we ask from you. We will not ask for more than this,” the Chief Minister said.
He said he doesn’t have high expectations from the current central government.
“It is possible that tomorrow someone else will be sitting here and the central government will have changed. For them, it will be easier to jog a road map, to advance a dialogue process. It would have been easier if we had locked ourselves in a circle,” he said.
In an apparent response to PDP and Peoples Conference, which have dubbed the resolution ‘weak’, Abdullah said if it were so, the Prime Minister wouldn’t mention it in his speeches.
He said if his party NC had brought a resolution which would have been rejected quickly by the Centre, “the same people who made commotion would have said, look, this House has no meaning.”
“If this would have been a compromise, if it would have been weak, if nothing would have happened in it then this resolution would not have been mentioned anywhere. They would have remained silent. This is the proof that the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly has passed a historic resolution,” he said.
“There is something in this resolution that even today in speeches, Honorable Home Minister of India, Honorable Prime Minister of India, and other senior ministers of the Government of India, are talking about this resolution and targeting us,” Abdullah said.
He said “people (of Kashmir) have regained their voice and can now speak freely. We felt stifled and unable to express ourselves, but this resolution has encouraged people to talk and debate openly.”
Abdullah’s speech and the final day of the 5-day session was boycotted by BJP legislators in protest against the resolution which calls for dialogue over special status.
Earlier in the day, the Assembly witnessed ruckus.
As the House met for the day, Peoples Democratic Party legislator Fayaz Mir attempted to display a banner in support of Article 370.
He was supported by People’s Conference MLA Sajad Lone and AIP’s Sheikh Khursheed.
In the ensuing pandemonium, Khursheed was marshaled out of the House.
BJP lawmakers continued their protest against the special status resolution.
As some BJP members attempted to storm the well, they were marshaled out of the House. The remaining BJP legislators staged a walkout.
The House functioned smoothly after that and was adjourned sine die in the evening.
