Kashmir’s special status is not coming back, no party in India can do it: Ghulam Nabi Azad

In a serious comment on now-repealed Article 370, former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Sunday that the Kashmir special status guaranteed under the aforementioned Article cannot be cannot be restored. Article 370 was scrapped three years ago by the BJP government at the Centre, according to various media reports.

In his first public meeting in North Kashmir’s Baramulla, Azad targeted regional parties for “misleading people” by promising them to push for the restoration of Article 370, reported the NDTV.

“Ghulam Nabi Azad will not mislead anyone. For votes, I will not mislead and exploit you. Please don’t rake up issues which can’t be achieved. 370 can’t be restored. It needs a two-thirds majority in parliament,” said Azad categorically in a speech.

He also made a serious aspersion with regard to the Special Status accorded to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir saying that there is no party in India which can get majority in parliament and restore Article 370.

He informed that he will be launching his party in Jammu and Kashmir within the next 10 days to “fight politics of exploitation and falsehood”. He reported to have said: “The politics of exploitation has led to the killing of one lakh people in Kashmir. It has orphaned five lakh children and caused massive distraction.”

He said he has come to Jammu and Kashmir “to fight against the exploitation and falsehood even if it hurts his political prospects”.

Notably, Azad instance is completely opposite to the wishes of the Jammu and Kashmir political parties who believe that Article 370 will be restored. He attacked the political outfits of the region for “misleading” the people on the issue. However, he said: “It’s another deception to provoke people for agitation and get them killed. So long Azad is alive, I will fight against falsehood. You will have to kill me if you want to silence this idea.”

Azad resigned from the Congress last month. He said he would do to his capacity what is “achievable.”

“I will not raise emotive slogans for winning seats. We will have to fight for restoration of statehood. For this there is no need for a constitutional amendment,” said Azad.

He also targeted his former party, saying that it was only Congress dissidents known as the G-23, which he was a part of, who had spoken out against the changes to Kashmir’s status in parliament.

He, however, hoped that the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir would be restored.