‘I said nothing wrong about PoK’

Deepak Khajuria. Updated: 11/19/2017 1:11:27 AM Front Page

DEEPAK KHAJURIA

JAMMU: After remaining in news for past one month- not necessarily for good reasons-main opposition president Dr Farooq Abdullah in winter capital Jammu reiterated his controversial remarks on Pakistan occupied Kashmir, while maintaining that he has not done anything wrong.
The former Chief Minister referred to four wars with Pakistan, saying despite it, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is still with Pakistan.
"PoK is still under control of Pakistan for the last 70 years and I have said nothing wrong," Dr Abdullah said while addressing party workers at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhawan, the party headquarters in Jammu.
"Some people felt frustrated with my statement," he reiterating his words, said, "What I said in my statement on PoK was, -listen, I said for last 70 years it is still with Pak, even we had fought 4 wars with Pakistan but not able to take PoK back.
"Then what is the meaning of saying that PoK is not with Pak," he said while substantiating his remarks. Pertinently after his "PoK belongs to Pakistan" remark last week, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on this Wednesday made another controversial statement saying Pakistan was "not weak to allow India to take that part of Jammu and Kashmir under its occupation".
"Today if they (Union Govt) are saying they want that PoK back, who stops them, NC has never said anything over this. Go and get it back if you can," the senior Abdullah added.
When asked about the complaint lodged by a Jammu based social activist Sukesh C. Khajuria against him, he said, "Some people have also dragged me to court, but I am not worried about this and will give the reply in the court too."
"Me or my party had never said that we asked for Azadi, we never said that we want to go with Pak, NC only demanded autonomy, which is in the constitution of India, under Article 370 we the people of J&K are the owners of our own state," said the Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar.
Farooq Abdullah in his over 20-minutes speech also targeted ruling PDP-BJP and said that the party which has won 26 seats from Jammu, has to think about this that first outsiders come to Jammu to encroach your land.
Without naming BJP, Farooq said, "India belongs to each and every Indian whether he is Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christian; India is not inherited to anybody.
Meanwhile, targeting PDP on its surrender in front of Union Govt over implementation of GST, NC president said that during the time of implementation of GST, this party which talks about self-rule has followed the centre.
He also demanded and urged the Union Government to form a commission to look into the cases of war widows and army personnel who had been fighting a proxy war by Pakistan in J&K for the past seven decades.
Taking a dig at the PDP-BJP government for not visiting the house of martyr Sohan Lal Bhagat, who attained martyrdom in an IED blast in Manipur recently, Farooq said, "Not a single minister or official from administration visited his cremation site. Then what is your criteria for a martyr."
He asked Army chief General Bipin Rawat to first see the "miserable condition of widows of army personnel" and then talk about any possible war.
Cautioning party workers, Farooq said that be alert, and stand against those elements who want to disturb communal harmony in the state.
While concluding his speech, Farooq said that he was not interested to become party president again, but party workers and leaders insisted and given him another chance. He appealed to his workers that autonomy should be given to each and every area of the state and it will be done.


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