Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Sept 23: Democratic Progressive Azad Party Chief Ghulam Nabi Azad today said that he was the only leader to speak out against the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A in Parliament, which prompted Home Minister Amit Shah to promise the restoration of statehood.
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Azad made these remarks while speaking to reporters during a roadshow in Ganderbal, which is set to go to polls in the second phase on September 25.
The former Chief Minister said that Article 370 and statehood can only be restored by the Parliament. “Article 370, statehood, and the Legislative Council can only be restored by Parliament, regardless of which party is in power-Congress, BJP, or anyone else,” he said.
Azad said that his speeches led Home Minister Amit Shah to promise restoration of statehood. “No leader here has spoken for Article 370. Only I made six speeches in Parliament. In response to my speeches, the Home Minister said they will restore statehood,” he said.
He pointed out that there were ten members of Parliament from Jammu and Kashmir, including six from the Rajya Sabha and four from the Lok Sabha, but none of them discussed Article 370. “I did not make just one speech that became popular; I gave six. I fought for Article 370, statehood, and 35A. Nobody in Parliament knew until I spoke that 35A was not a post-independence law-it was instituted by Maharaja Hari Singh at the request of Jammu Hindus and Kashmiri Pandits,” he said.
When asked about Home Minister Amit Shah’s hard stance on Kashmir and regional parties, Azad said he opposed such a position and argued that political parties should have the freedom to express their views. “The state and the Centre must act according to the Constitution. But there is no outcome from these talks if power is not given to states or central leaders,” he said. He added that all parties should use clean, secular language. “To me, all religions in India are the same, and there should be no discrimination. I have always believed this,” he added.
Azad described political parties as competitors, not enemies. “It is like being in a class. We are all friends, studying under one roof, but there is competition-who will come first, second, or third,” he said.
He also said his party was fighting against autocracy, “I have said that my son and daughter will not become Chief Ministers. But I fight against autocracy, which is being implemented everywhere, whether in Delhi or J&K,” he said.
Azad further noted that the state subject law was the identity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, established by Maharaja Hari Singh and later embedded in both the Indian and state constitutions.
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