Farooq Abdullah Criticizes Article 370 Abrogation Amid J-K Poll Campaign

National Conference Chief Farooq Abdullah criticized the government's move to abrogate Article 370, claiming it led to job losses in Jammu-Kashmir. His comments come ahead of the second phase of assembly elections. The National Conference promises to restore Article 370 and offer extensive reforms if elected.

National Conference (NC) Chief Farooq Abdullah, citing historical importance, decried the abrogation of Article 370, stating it led to job losses in Jammu-Kashmir. Addressing a gathering in Rajouri district, Abdullah emphasized that Maharaja Hari Singh's 1927 regulation aimed to protect local lands and jobs, which later transformed into Article 370. He warned that the abrogation has allowed outsiders to seize local opportunities, pledging to restore Article 370 if NC wins.

The National Conference recently released its election manifesto with ambitious plans, including restoring Article 370, 35-A, and statehood, revisiting the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019, and rehabilitating Kashmiri Pandits. Vice President Omar Abdullah launched the manifesto ahead of the upcoming elections.

Responding to BJP's claims that NC and Congress seek to eliminate reservations for Gujjars and Pahadis, Farooq Abdullah questioned BJP's decade-long governance without granting ST status to Pahadis until just before parliamentary elections. He further criticized the BJP's stance on terrorism and their selective protection of citizens. The upcoming elections, the first since the Article 370 abrogation, see NC and Congress in an alliance against BJP and other contenders. Voting phases are scheduled for September 25 and October 1, with results due on October 8.

(With inputs from agencies.)