Restoration of autonomy is an issue, not statehood: Soz

Srinagar, June 21: Prof. Saifuddin Soz, Former Union Minister Monday said that: “India’s Central Government did not learn from its mistakes and it continued to repeat its mistakes.

“Now, it’s (Central Govt.’s) intention to restore the ‘Statehood’ will not yield any advantage to it because that is a small issue before the people of Jammu and Kashmir State,” Soz said.

He said the real issue is the J&K State’s Special Status enshrined in the now-abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution of India, which the Union Govt. has to be restored.

Soz said that India has earned a great flak at the international level, where the peoples’ as well as their governments feel convinced that the people of Jammu and Kashmir State are deeply hurt and angry on the erosion of Internal Autonomy ratified by the people of the State and the then Central Govt., through the Delhi Agreement of 1952.

“Any move by the Central Govt. short of restoring the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution of India will be rejected by the people of the J&K State, out-rightly.”

Soz said people of the State will prove it again to the Union that their anger will never subside till the provisions of Article 370 will be restored. KNO