Revoking Art 370 didn’t usher in any development in J&K: Abdullah

JAMMU: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said the abrogation of the erstwhile state’s special status had neither ushered in development nor put an end to terrorism as being narrated by some vested interests in New Delhi.

Speaking at a webinar , Abdullah, a Lok Sabha member and president of the National Conference (NC), said the government took the decision on the abrogation of the special status without consulting anyone from J&K.

“It was passed in one day in Rajya Sabha and another day in Lok Sabha,” he said and added that the narrative sold by the government is that Kashmir would now become a part of India. “We were always part of India holding the tricolour,” Abdullah said.

BJP leader Priya Sethi and former MLC Surinder Ambardar countered Abdullah and said the abrogation of Article 370 provisions had become necessary to ensure all-round development. “One year is little time to assess the benefits, give us some time and you will see for yourself,” Sethi said.

“Article 370 was a continuation of the two-nation theory which gave rise to Pakistan in 1947,” Ambardar said.

“What changed which forced them (to take such a decision)? This was the agenda of the BJP to abrogate it and so it projected it that development will be pouring in from the top, industrialists will come in and the whole map will change. UTs become states but states never become UTs,” Abdullah said.

THE FORMER CM SAID THE GOVERNMENT TOOK THE DECISION ON THE ABROGATION OF THE SPECIAL STATUS WITHOUT CONSULTING ANYONE FROM J&K