Srinagar, July 11: National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said the people of Jammu and Kashmir were not seeking charity or favours but demanding the restoration of their constitutional rights and dignity.
Addressing party workers and supporters at Dargah Hazratbal during the commemorative programme for Begum Akbar Jehan Abdullah, Farooq said successive governments at the Centre had repeatedly failed to honour their promises to Jammu and Kashmir despite repeated assurances over the decades.
Recalling discussions during the tenure of former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao Abdullah said assurances had been given that the shortcomings and injustices suffered by Jammu and Kashmir would be addressed and rectified. Hundreds of NC supporters had gathered to pay tributes to Begum Akbar Jehan, a show of strength before the party’s proposed protest outside Jantar Mantar to seek restoration of Statehood.
“Decades have passed, but those promises remain unfulfilled. We are human beings and equal citizens of this country. We too are the crown of India and possess our own dignity and honour,” he said.
The former Chief Minister also referred to a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which he said he attended along with senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, where concerns over the trust deficit between New Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir were discussed.
“We told the Prime Minister that unfortunately we do not trust each other and that the first step should be to rebuild this trust. We were told the distance between Delhi and Kashmir would be reduced, but unfortunately that distance has only grown wider,” he said.
In a veiled attack on political opponents, Abdullah accused some local leaders of publicly echoing Delhi’s positions while claiming to represent the interests of Jammu and Kashmir.
Questioning their commitment to the people, he asked whether they were prepared to compromise the interests and honour of the state for political gains and urged them to stand with the people rather than pursue what he termed political servitude.
The National Conference president said his party had continued to work for the development of Jammu and Kashmir even during difficult periods, highlighting investments in schools, colleges, hospitals, roads and other public infrastructure.
Concluding his address, Abdullah asserted that the demand for restoration of rights was rooted in justice and constitutional entitlement rather than political favour.
“We are not asking for anything that does not belong to us. We are only asking for our own right and for that right to be returned to us,” he said.
