Says we are part of India, will remain so, Sports merged with Politics, Congress having own compulsions, NC following its manifesto in spirit
TDD Special Correspondent
Jammu, (TDD): National Conference president Dr Farooq today said that Independent Kashmir was never a solution to the problem and that statehood won’t fall from skies but will surely happen sooner or later.
“See, Statehood is not going to come from skies. But it will come… I have no doubt about it,” Dr Farooq told reporters in Jammu. He said the way elections were held, Statehood will also be granted to J&K.
He said that those who used to claim that their government will come in J&K, where are those people today. The NC chief was referring to BJP bigwigs who used to assert in their elections that BJP was going to form government in J&K.
About debate on Kashmir in Oxford University where some people talked about “Independent Kashmir” as a solution to J&K problem, Dr Farooq said that those talking about independent Kashmir are sitting somewhere else in the world and are far from the ground realities in Kashmir. “Independent Kashmir was never a solution to the problem. Where is our economy and resources? We are part of India and will remain so,” Dr Farooq said.
The NC chief while reacting about International Cricket Council’s (ICCs) decision of cancelling Indian team’s visit to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) for Champions’ Trophy, Dr Farooq said cricket and politics have been merged together. “This shows all is not well between India and Pakistan,” he said.
On All India Congress Committee Chief Malikarjun Kharge’s assertions that Assembly resolution was about statehood not Article 370, the NC chief said that Congress has its own compulsions. “The party is under attack from Prime Minister Narendera Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and others from the BJP ahead of elections in Maharastra and Jharkand,” Dr Farooq said. “Our manifesto is before people and we are following it in spirit.”—(TDD)