PDP Slams NC for ‘Validating’ Article 370 Abrogation: Urges CM to Stand Up for People’s Rights
Srinagar 03 March 2025: In a recent press conference, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supremo Mehbooba Mufti accused the National Conference (NC) of “validating” the abrogation of Article 370. She urged Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to stand up for the rights and self-respect of his people. Mehbooba emphasized that the issues facing Jammu and Kashmir extend beyond the restoration of statehood.
Criticism of NC and CM Omar Abdullah:
Lack of Mention in LG’s Address:
Reacting to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s address in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on the first day of the budget session, Mehbooba pointed out that there was no mention of the resolution for the restoration of Article 370 passed by the House in November. “This government did not dare make a mention of the resolution that it had claimed was for the restoration of Article 370,” she said.
Call for Action:
Mehbooba criticized Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for not standing up for the rights of the people. “Our chief minister says he does not want to be a Kejriwal. No one is asking him to be Kejriwal but, for God’s sake, stand up for the rights and self-respect of your people. Why did the people vote for you?” she asked.
Issues Beyond Statehood Restoration:
Dispossession and Rights:
Mehbooba highlighted that the problems of Jammu and Kashmir are not limited to the restoration of statehood. “We are faced with the problem of dispossession. We are being dispossessed from our properties, minerals, jobs, etc. People have elected you to set these things right,” she said.
Alliance with BJP:
Mehbooba mentioned that her party ran an alliance government with the BJP from 2015 to 2018 but did not allow the saffron party to enforce its agenda. “It was our agenda that became the agenda of the alliance — be it amnesty for stone pelters or writing letters to separatists for holding dialogue. Unfortunately, it seems the National Conference has succumbed (to pressure from the BJP),” she said.
Public Mandate and Article 370:
NC’s Electoral Success:
The PDP supremo highlighted that while the BJP got the public mandate in Jammu, the National Conference secured 70 percent of votes in the valley.
Stand on Article 370:
Mehbooba urged the NC to take a stand on Article 370. “We are not saying you have to do wonders in three months. The BJP was against the special status for Jammu and Kashmir from day one, even when it had no power. How can you say that you cannot do anything on Article 370? You can at least say that what happened in 2019 was wrong and it should be undone,” she said.
Bottom-Line:
The Centre abrogated Article 370, which granted special status to the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state, and reorganized it into two Union territories in August 2019. Mehbooba Mufti’s criticism of the National Conference and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah underscores the ongoing political tensions and the demand for addressing the rights and self-respect of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
