Farooq Abdullah, the chief of the National Conference, has recently made a statement that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are demanding the restoration of their statehood and the holding of elections. He expressed his sorrow over the fact that Jammu and Kashmir, which was once a proud state, has been reduced to a Union Territory for the first time in the history of the nation, which he considers a tragedy.
Jammu and Kashmir, located in the northernmost part of India, has always been a contentious region due to its strategic location and its majority Muslim population. In August 2019, the Indian government revoked the special status of the state, which had granted it a certain degree of autonomy under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, and also bifurcated it into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The decision was met with a mixed response, with some welcoming the move as a step towards integration of the region with the rest of the country, and others condemning it as a violation of the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The move led to a communication blackout, a curfew, and the arrest of several politicians and activists, including Farooq Abdullah himself, who was detained under the Public Safety Act.
Now, after almost two years, Farooq Abdullah has spoken out, stating that the people of Jammu and Kashmir want their statehood to be restored and elections to be held. He emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the nation and its people belong to this nation, and he cannot understand why this is being done to them.
The restoration of statehood and the holding of elections in Jammu and Kashmir are important steps towards the restoration of normalcy and democracy in the region. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have suffered for far too long, and it is time for their voices to be heard and their rights to be respected.
