NC’s statehood restoration protest is meant to bury Article 370: Sajad Lone

Srinagar: President of People’s Conference (PC) and MLA, Sajad Lone said on Friday that the proposed Jantar Mantar protest for restoration of statehood by the ruling National Conference is an “attempt to bury Article 370.”

Talking to reporters after he received an invitation from the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference President, Dr Farooq Abdullah, to join the statehood restoration protest, Sajad said, “We have received an invitation from Farooq Abdullah inviting us to participate at the Jantar Mantar sit-in dharna.

“Our party’s stand is that the position of J&K before 2019, matters for us the most. In democracy you have to treat every party well. Before abrogation of Article 370 they met with PM Modi and no one knows what was discussed there in the meeting with the PM on August 3, 2019.”

“Earlier we used to have a powerful Assembly, today that’s weakened due to the UT. Till now, in the last two years, no resolution of Statehood was brought in. Finally, I brought the resolution, which was declined by the Speaker citing the fact that the matter is sub judice.

“Statehood is very important, no one knows when the BJP will restore it. It’s a big decision. If it becomes Opposition vs BJP where will the people of J&K go. Statehood will be restored today or tomorrow but the issue is NC won such a huge mandate to restore Article 370. It’s in their manifesto. Don’t make this issue a football in pan India politics,” he said.

He alleged that the protest by the ruling National Conference “is not a movement for Statehood, this is an attempt to bury Article 370.”

Meanwhile, National Conference chief spokesperson and MLA, Tanvir Sadiq told reporters that the party had not yet received the official permission to carry out the protest at Jantar Mantar on July 20.

Chief minister, Omar Abdullah has said even if no permission is given to stage the protest at Jantar Mantar, the party will go ahead with the protest even though the venue and the mode of the protest may be changed.

IANS