Srinagar, 05 Aug: The Jammu & Kashmir National Conference President Dr. Farooq Abdullah today described August 5, 2019 as one of the darkest days in India’s democratic history, saying the decisions taken on that day stripped Jammu & Kashmir of its constitutional guarantees, political identity and statehood.
He said the people of Jammu & Kashmir have rejected the August 5 decisions from the very first day and continue to stand firmly against what he termed unilateral and unconstitutional measures. He asserted that the National Conference would continue its peaceful and democratic struggle for the restoration of the constitutional guarantees, democratic rights and full-fledged statehood of Jammu & Kashmir.
Dr. Farooq said the National Conference-led government reaffirmed its commitment by making it its first legislative priority to pass a resolution in the Legislative Assembly rejecting the August 5 decisions and seeking the restoration of Jammu & Kashmir’s constitutional position and statehood.
Launching a sharp attack on the BJP, Dr. Farooq said that the party continues to promote proxy political formations to divide the people’s mandate and weaken their collective voice. Referring to the 2014 Assembly elections, he said the National Conference had warned that the PDP’s alliance with the BJP would prove detrimental to Jammu & Kashmir, ultimately culminating in the constitutional changes of August 5, 2019.
He said the National Conference has a historic legacy of securing democratic rights and social justice for the people and reaffirmed that the party would never compromise on safeguarding Jammu & Kashmir’s identity, dignity and constitutional rights. He appealed to the people to remain united and strengthen J&K National Conference to achieve the restoration of the rights taken away on August 5, 2019.
