Farooq warns of street fights if Article 370 is scrapped
Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji
"India will not be able to hold Jammu and Kashmir if Article 370 is
scrapped by the Bharatiya Janata Party," warns Dr Farooq Abdullah, chief
minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a press conference in Goa, Dr Abdullah
also reiterated that Kashmiris will fight any such move in every street
and corner of the state.
Flaying the BJP's claim of scrapping Article 370 if it came to power at
the Centre, the chief minister claims it was legally not possible to do so.
Article 370 is a bridge between the state and the country, he said,
which was provided by the founders of the Constitution since J&K had
not acceded to India like other states that were merged into the Indian
Union.
"Just because they will have power in Delhi, they cannot be lords of J&K. You got to run the country by accepting the wishes and regional
sentiments of the people. Are they God Almighty of
India?" asked a furious Dr Abdullah.
He also advocated granting more autonomy to
the states and a federal structure, on the lines of the US, if the
United Front came to power. "We have to realise that every state
has its own strength while the Centre draws its strength from these states,"
he said.
Dr Abdullah was in Goa to address an election rally for Union Law Minister Ramakant
Khalap in Mapusa city, close to the coastal areas of Calangute and Baga
where around 3,000 Kashmiris live.
Coming down heavily on the BJP for spreading rumours that all Hindus
have left his state, he disclosed his plans to set up village defence
committees to protect the Hindus in the villages, and providing them with
sophisticated arms for self-defence.
Reacting to Pakistan-sponsored terrorist activities in the valley, he felt a
new leadership has to emerge in Pakistan that could understand the SAARC
spirit of mutual trust, that would help the whole sub-continent to grow and
prosper. "Otherwise, Pakistan will disappear one day," he cautioned.
Commenting on the post-poll scenario, he said either a coalition of the
Congress and the UF or the BJP with its allies would rule the country,
but he opposed the concept of external support to a government.
However, he declined to comment if the Congress would head the
coalition government this time. "We would be able to resolve the issue
across the table only after the results are out," he said.
Elections '98
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