Abrogation of JK’s special status neither ushered in development nor ended terrorism: 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.
He also alleged that the BJP has not learnt any lessons from the hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane in 1999 and subsequent release of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad founder Maulana Masood Azhar as they think “they are the wisest of the wise, which is unfortunate”.
Speaking at a webinar organised by Epilogue News Network, 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 Jammu and Kashmir.
“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.
(agencies)