Ali Asad
Srinagar, Mar 8: Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s accusations against regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir, NC patriarch Dr Farooq Abdullah has called on the Union Government to establish a commission of inquiry to probe into allegations of mis-governance in the erstwhile state prior to the removal of Article 370.
In a statement to the media in Jammu, Dr Farooq emphasized the necessity of an impartial commission to investigate the claims of regional parties plunging Jammu and Kashmir into underdevelopment and chaos.
He urged for transparency, stressing that the findings of the commission should be made public to dispel any doubts regarding the state’s condition before the abrogation of Article 370.
Dr Farooq highlighted that Jammu and Kashmir was on par with developed states like Gujarat before the removal of Article 370. He challenged the assertions made by central leadership, questioning how the progress achieved by the state prior to August 5, 2019, would have been possible if it were in a state of distress.
“Appoint a commission, probe it all with impartiality so that this rhetoric ends forever. Look at the health index, the education sector, the finance sector of JK before 370 and investigate it. The truth will come to light,” Dr Farooq emphasized.
Responding to allegations of dynastic politics in Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Farooq refuted the claims, asserting that democracy is upheld through elections where people have the power to accept or reject political representatives.
He highlighted that unlike autocracy where leaders are imposed on the populace, in democracy, leaders are chosen through a democratic process. “We used to have a Maharaja who used to rule over his subjects.
He was replaced by son and on and one. In democracy we have elections- it is people who accept or reject us. Even as a chief minister, I have lost elections in Kashmir because people rejected me at that time. Now tell me where is the parivarvaad here,” Dr Farooq questioned.
