Ishfaq-ul-Hassan
SRINAGAR—Former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’s `forget article 370′ statement has stoked a new row in Kashmir with the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) accusing him of snatching away the hopes of the Jammu and Kashmir people.
“A politician of the calibre of Ghulam Nabi Azad should not have spoken like this. People have high hopes from politicians like Ghulam Nabi Azad. But, unfortunately, he has taken away hopes from the people of J&K regarding the restoration of article 370,” said Mehbooba Mufti, PDP president and former J&K chief minister.
She said many parties are propagating the BJP narrative in Jammu and Kashmir. “At the same time, Ghulam Nabi Azad speaking like this is very unfortunate. When we can defeat the British empire, it is not impossible to defeat the designs of the BJP in the country,” she said.
On Sunday, Azad said Article 370 of the Constitution would not be restored in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a rally, he said only a government with a two-thirds majority in Parliament can restore the provisions of Article 370. “I, the Congress party or three regional parties cannot restore Article 370. Neither can Mamata Banerjee, DMK, or Sharad Pawar restore the special status,” Azad said.
Mehbooba retorted back, saying her party would fight to restore the special status and “end injustice”.
On August 5, 2019, the Centre abrogated Article 370 and downgraded Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories.
Last month, Azad quit the party after a five-decade-long association. The resignation came days after J&K Pradesh Congress Committee appointed Viqar Rasool as the new president.
Once considered a loyal Congressman, Azad’s resignation came as a shock to the party. His resignation triggered a flurry of activities in the party, with his loyalists, too, putting in their papers.
Azad is all set to float a new political party this month. This would be the second new political party in Jammu and Kashmir after August 5, 2019. Earlier in 2020, expelled PDP leader Syed Altaf Bukhari floated Apni Party.
Azad’s support base in Kashmir had already taken a hit after August 5, 2019, when the Modi government stripped J&K of special status. People feel he did not play the role that was expected of him.
Except for his statement in Rajya Sabha, he did not forcefully call for restoring Article 370. Instead, he has been focusing on restoring statehood and conveniently skipping the broader special status issue. However, when he retired from Rajya Sabha, PM Modi paid him a moving tribute. Modi addressed the Parliament with teary eyes. Later, the Centre awarded him with Padma Bhusan even though the BJP was pursuing the agenda of Congress-Mukt Bharat.
Azad’s leaving Congress is considered a boon for BJP in J&K. Azad has some support in the Muslim-dominated Chenab valley of Jammu. Last time, BJP won most of the Muslim majority seats because all parties filed candidates, which divided Muslim votes and consolidated Hindu votes. The parties realized the mistake this time and were planning to consolidate Muslim votes. However, Azad’s leaving Congress and floating his own party will again split Muslim votes.
