Centre should listen to the voice of people of J&K: Omar Abdullah

Srinagar: The Centre should listen to the people’s voice against the abrogation of Article 370 since it has itself termed the DDC polls as a victory of democracy, National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday.

Addressing party workers at NC headquarters Nawa-i-Subah, he said the people have made clear their view by supporting the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) in the District Development Council polls.

The NC leader also said he does not foresee assembly elections in the union territory anytime soon because of the poll results.

The seven-party PAGD swept the maiden DDC polls by winning 110 seats out of 276 for which results were declared, while the BJP emerged as the single largest party by getting 74 seats after securing the biggest vote share in Jammu and Kashmir.

“If you really say that democracy has won, then you will have to listen to the voices of the people, and the people of Jammu and Kashmir have said it with a huge majority that they do not accept (the decisions of) August 5, 2019,” Abdullah said.

The Centre abrogated Article 370 – which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir – and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two union territories on August 5 last year.

“We also accept it (that democracy has won). When did we say that we do not trust democracy? It is another thing that you do not trust us. We have been saying this from day one that we will fight for our rights but not unlawfully or unconstitutionally. We are not for disturbing the atmosphere in this state, but to make it better,” Abdullah said.

Omar said the results of the DDC elections have proved that the BJP will not be able to “bury” the NC.

“The next elections in J-K are very far because of the defeat of the BJP in this election. I do not think they will have the assembly elections here anytime sooner. If they believed in democracy, they would have sounded the bugle of the assembly elections,” he said.

Referring to the alliance with other mainstream parties for seeking the restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state, Abdullah said the PAGD was formed in “very difficult” circumstances and “its aim was not power”.

He said the party rendered many sacrifices for the alliance and many of his colleagues were not happy with the seat-sharing arrangement.

“We could have many more seats had we not contested in the alliance. But, for achieving a bigger goal, small or big sacrifices have to be made… It was our duty to keep aside our differences and to come on a single platform for our identity,” he said. (PTI)