‘Successive regimes diluted Kashmir’s special status after 1953’
Srinagar: Stating that BJP should have avoided talking about the abrogation of Article 370 at this stage, Huriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that Kashmir’s special status has been diluted after 1953 by the successive regimes at New Delhi.
Mirwaiz while talking to KNS said that Article 370 exists on papers only at present and that on ground, Kashmir has been virtually converted into a police state and is being run by the Army at large.
One of BJP minister in the recent past revealed to Press that the party is working to repeal Article 370 and that the talks in this regard is going on with the stake holders. He also had remarked that Article 370 should be eroded for the greater common good. The comments of the BJP minister triggered a widespread debate in valley with both ruling and opposition parties in valley rebuking the comments.
Mirwaiz maintained that Kashmir is not the issue of its relationship with New Delhi but also about the fate of the people of the both sides. “Abrogating and strengthening Article 370 is a non- issue for us. It is being understood by the people here at large that the special status exists on papers only and not on the ground. In actual forces are running the affairs of the state,” said Chairman Huriyat (M).
Mirwaiz also remarked that Kashmir used to enjoy autonomous status under the umbrella of Indian constitution before 1953 but the successive regimes and parties in power at New Delhi diluted the same to the extent that it remained limited to papers only.
Mirwaiz said that BJP should have avoided talking about the abrogation of Kashmir’s special status as Huriyat demands meaningful dialogue so that ice could be broken and disputes between India and Pakistan are resolved at the earliest. “We must accept that the people here have lost faith and hope in the dialogue process as the same has not yielded any results on ground as the situation has not changed in Kashmir with the crackdown against people and pro-freedom leadership continues.”
Kashmir’s chief cleric while demanding the involvement of militant groups and political leadership of both the sides in the dialogue process for Kashmir resolution stated that when people of India and Pakistan have given absolute majority top Modi and Sharief, bold decisions are expected from the duo for the sustainable peace in south Asia. “Huriyat Conference believes that there is no other option in hand but to resolve Kashmir politically. There must be thaw between India and Pakistan so that result oriented dialogue could be initiated.”