Meets Dr Farooq, pitches for statehood restoration, early elections
Srinagar, Mar 14: Congress MP Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday termed the recently floated Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) as a creation of agencies and said that any such measure will only belittle the democratic institutions of the erstwhile state.
According to Press Trust of Kashmir (PTK), Azad soon after meeting the recently released NC patriarch Dr Faroooq Abdullah at latter’s residence spoke to media persons and highlighted the need for the restoration of political activities in Jammu and Kashmir.
When asked about the recently formed political group led by former PDP leader Syed Altaf Bukhari, Azad termed the exercise as a ‘handiwork’ of agencies, stating that any such experiment will not yield any positive outcome and that the government of India must release the detained politicians in unison including Omar Abdullah and PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti and initiate a political process by announcing elections in JK.
Azad who has also served as the chief ministers for more than two years from 2005 to 2008 in Jammu and Kashmir demanded restoration of statehood. He highlighted how JK in spite of being one of the largest states in India was downgraded to a union territory without any compunction.
Underlining the need for the release of the detained political leaders, Azad said that only such a measure will play a vital role in restoration of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir and that elections should be announced at an earliest so that people are given their democratic right to exercise their franchise and elect a government of their own choice. “The political process has to be kick started without any further delay. It will happen only when leaders are freed and polls are held. India is world’s largest democracy and keeping the three former chief ministers behind the bars only undermines the democratic values at large,” Azad said.
Prior to this, NC President Dr Farooq Abdullah thanked Azad for visiting him and stated that though latter attempted to meet him in custody, he was not allowed by the government.