Excelsior Correspondent
HANDWARA, July 20: National Conference president and Member Parliament from Srinagar, Dr Farooq Abdullah today said that annulling Articles 370 and 35-A will tantamount to a ‘constitutional coup’, claiming that Art 370 is ‘essential and unassailable’ until the final resolution of the State was reached.
Addressing a large party convention at Handwara today, Farooq said that ‘powers in New Delhi’ were frightened of National Conference and the very thought of NC coming back to power sends jitters to them.
“They are well aware of the fact that until NC remains in the State, it will painstakingly protect the interests of the State. They are frightened of us. Anxious and unnerved, New Delhi has employed various henchmen in the State to frustrate the efforts of NC towards protecting the special status of our State,” Farooq said.
While underscoring the need of rallying round the flag of the party, the top NC leader said, “Today we see some parties coming up in every alley of Kashmir. You all have to remain very cautious about their nefarious designs. They are the agents and second in-command of New Delhi in the State. Their sole mission is to frustrate the efforts aimed at protecting the interests of the State. “At present we see them tricking people through high-sounding statements. You all should remain cautious about their trickery. They are here to add colours to the nefarious designs of those forces as are inimical to our special status. They are here to serve the interests of New Delhi only and not the state,” the NC president maintained.
Farooq said, “Not even a single day passes, when we don’t hear our enemies cry about the temporality of the Art 370. Yes, the Article was deemed to be temporary unless the issue of the State was not resolved. However, the issue is still lingering around; therefore, the Article 370 will continue to remain around. The accession of the State took place in unusual circumstances. The Maharaja, who was rather vacillating then did not want to accede to any of the two dominions. He wanted the erstwhile state to remain free. However, that didn’t happen, he had to make a choice in extra ordinary circumstances. Keeping in view the special circumstances, Art 370 was added to the constitution of India. The Article will remain as it is until the final resolution of the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. That resolution hasn’t been reached yet. So until the issue is solved, no power on the earth can touch the Article 370. The `uneducated rants’ of those who want to obliterate Art 370 are far-fetched, fanciful and devoid of any genuineness.”
Referring to Art 35-A, Farooq said it was the fall out of the Art 370 and fiddling with it will upset all the successive amendments to the Presidential of 1954. “If Art 35-A is annulled, then all the successive presidential order will get annulled automatically. It was the then Maharaja who gave the state subject rights to the people of state in 1927,” he said adding, “it is the prime duty of the NC workers, functionaries to apprise the people living in towns and villages about the impending threats on our special position. The need of the hour calls for making people alert about the consequences of repealing Art 370, Art 35-A.”
Among others Ali Mohd Sagar, Akbar Lone, Hasnain Masoodi, Nasir Aslam Wani, Ch Mohd Ramzan , Mir Saifullah, Qaisar Jamsheed Lone, Sharief -Ud- Din Shariq, Farooq Shah, G R Naz, Shafkat Watali, Salam- Ud- Din Bajad and Rafiq Shah addressed the workers.
Earlier, party president visited the Darbar- e- Aliya Yonisiya, Awoora in Kupwara following the three day annual Urs observance. Party president paid obeisance at the shrine and prayed for the wellbeing of human kind.
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