J&K parties on the backfoot after abrogation of Art 370: Sajjad Lone

SRINAGAR : People’s Conference chairperson Sajjad Lone on Sunday said the masses were simmering with anger over the decisions taken on August 5. However, he stressed on the need of continued communication between the Centre and the people of the valley.

Speaking to reporters after vice-chairman of district development Council (DDC), Kupwara, Farooq Ahmed Mir joined the PC, Lone said the mainstream parties in the union territory are powerless as on date. Lone said that after August 5, the political mainstream in J&K was on the back foot.

On the disappointment among some political parties from Jammu and Kashmir over the outcome of the June 24 meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said he did not have any expectations from it in the first place.

“Things do not remain the same and situations change. After August 5 (2019), the Kashmiri society and the polity – the mainstream parties – we are on the back foot. But, history is a witness, no society remains on the back foot forever. God willing, our time to play on the front foot will come and will come soon,” Lone said.

“...it is a long game. Nothing started on August 5 and nothing ended on August 5. Things will go on, politics will go on,” he said. Responding to a question, the PC chairman said there is simmering anger among people against the decisions taken by the Centre on August 5, 2019 and it is “very dangerous”.

“Anger is everywhere against the leadership. There is no place in the world where there is no anger against the existing leadership. Yes, our role is there (to defuse the anger), but as on date, we are powerless, we cannot do anything,” he said.

On the outcome of the June 24 meeting of J&K’S mainstream parties with Modi, Lone said, “Disappointment after August 5 has galloped. It was a social interaction, a political interaction and an exchange of ideas. I didn’t expect anything.”

{ SAJJAD LONE } PC CHAIRPERSON

The need of the hour is that there should not be a communication gap between Delhi and Srinagar.