• 2 months ago
In this exclusive conversation with Izhaar Ali, Farooq Abdullah delves into the controversial abrogation of Article 370 and its profound impact on Jammu & Kashmir. He discusses the implications for upcoming elections, the role of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), and shares insights about his son, Omar Abdullah. Abdullah's candid remarks shed light on the political landscape of the region and the challenges it faces moving forward. Don’t miss this in-depth analysis of the current situation in J&K!


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00:00Elections in Jammu and Kashmir after 10 years are being held.
00:05Today, in the last phase, there are polls in 40 constituencies.
00:09The politics of Kashmir, the elections in Kashmir,
00:12to talk about this, we have with us
00:16the President and former Chief Minister of the National Conference, Farooq Abdullah.
00:20Mr. Farooq, thank you for speaking to us.
00:23The elections in Jammu and Kashmir after 10 years are being held.
00:28So, in which direction is Jammu and Kashmir going?
00:32First of all, we want it to go in the right direction.
00:36So that BJP and RSS lose here.
00:40And people breathe a sigh of hope again.
00:46So that the government of the left-wing government
00:52ends.
00:56And the government of the people should come.
00:58So that we can remove the problems of the people.
01:01So that we can end the pressure here.
01:06So that people can breathe a sigh of relief again.
01:10We hope that people will keep them away from this.
01:17With strength.
01:19The elections in Jammu and Kashmir are being held as a Union Territory.
01:24Are you saddened by this?
01:28I am very saddened.
01:30I have been sad since 5th August.
01:33When they snatched everything from us.
01:36They tried to destroy our identity.
01:40I have never, since India became independent,
01:45I have never seen that a state is made a Union Territory.
01:50I have seen that Union Territory has become a state.
01:54Look at Jharkhand.
01:58It has become a state.
02:00Look everywhere.
02:03I think they have taken revenge from us.
02:07Because we are a Muslim majority state.
02:09They wanted to take revenge.
02:11We have seen their attitude in Gujarat.
02:15How they killed more than 3000 Muslims.
02:23We have seen the condition of UP.
02:25How the houses of Muslims were bulldozed.
02:30Schools and mosques.
02:32We ask Allah to give us relief from this.
02:40In your last statement you said that
02:44Article 370, Special Provisions, Constitution of India
02:49can take 100 years.
02:52Look, I am surprised.
02:56Wasn't Schedule Caste Reservation for 25 years?
03:01It is still going on.
03:04It will go on.
03:06What was their need?
03:08Because from the beginning,
03:11since we got this article,
03:14the attitude of the Sangh was that this should not happen.
03:19They did not know that it was necessary for this state.
03:25For this state, Maharaja Hari Singh Ji,
03:28in 1927, when India was not in Pakistan,
03:33because this was a poor state,
03:36and Punjab was rich,
03:38educated,
03:40we did not have educated people,
03:42that they will take our land,
03:44take our jobs.
03:46So for that protection,
03:48they brought the law that
03:50Dogra will be finished.
03:52The language will be finished.
03:54They continued that in Article 370.
03:59Doctor, when Article 370 was abrogated,
04:04you met the Prime Minister two days before that.
04:07When you came back,
04:09when Article 370 was abrogated,
04:12and you were watching live,
04:15what was your reaction?
04:17Were you in a shock?
04:19There was no shock.
04:21I was just shaken up that
04:23when we met the Prime Minister,
04:25he was nothing like this.
04:28When I asked him,
04:30that so many troops are going,
04:32do you want to fight in Kashmir?
04:36He did not answer.
04:39And this was the situation,
04:41that the viziers who were sitting comfortably in the hotel,
04:45they were forced out.
04:47They were made to sit in the cars.
04:49They closed the Amrit Yatra.
04:51They said that they have found a gun there.
04:53All lies.
04:55What role did the then Governor,
04:58Satyapal Malik play in all this?
05:00He himself regrets it.
05:02Not me, I am telling you.
05:04When he gave an interview
05:06to Kapil Sibalji,
05:09and he asked him questions,
05:11he said he didn't know that he couldn't do this.
05:14They didn't tell him.
05:17That's totally it.
05:19He was unaware of what his rights were.
05:22It could not be done without
05:24assembly being in session.
05:26That is why I think they planned all those things,
05:29the Mahbubaji's dismissal and all these things they did.
05:33And then suddenly Satyapal Malik saying
05:37that he didn't get the,
05:39because the fax machine was not working
05:41and therefore that we were able to form a government.
05:44All made up.
05:46All made up.
05:48So it was a pre-planned, it was already…
05:50All planned by them.
05:52They just wanted that majority in the parliament.
05:57Do you fear that if BJP comes to power,
06:00they'll make more laws and make…
06:02I think they will change the demography of the state.
06:06That's what they intend to do.
06:09That's why they want to bring people from outside
06:12to settle here.
06:14So that the Muslim majority state disappears.
06:19They live in cuckoo world.
06:21It's never going to happen.
06:23And in this case, how important is ANSI Congress
06:26government for Jammu and Kashmir,
06:28for the people of Jammu and Kashmir?
06:29It's very important.
06:30Very important.
06:32If people want that their rights should be returned,
06:36if people want that justice must return to the state
06:41and Jammu and Kashmir must flourish again,
06:45rise to the heights that Ulam Nabi Azad Sahib
06:49showed in the Rajya Sabha,
06:51when he compared the two states
06:54and gave figures,
06:56set figures which are still in the parliament
07:00for showing that Jammu and Kashmir is much higher.
07:03We are 370.
07:06We are 35A.
07:09He showed that we are much higher.
07:12And that is what hit them, I'm sure.
07:15Prime Minister and they were all listening.
07:18They thought we have to bring the state down.
07:21And they tried.
07:23In these years, you see what they have done to us.
07:26In these 10 years.
07:28Do you feel there is a design between
07:31the release of Engineer Rashid from jail
07:34and Jamaat fielding its members in the assembly?
07:39You see, let me tell you.
07:41First, he is not an engineer.
07:44He is a mate.
07:46I don't know how he has been declared as an engineer.
07:49When you speak to him, ask him.
07:52Where did he get the degree from?
07:55Which engineering colleges did he go to?
07:58It's all planned.
08:00Why did they leave him only from the jail
08:03till 2nd of October?
08:05Tomorrow he will be back in jail
08:07to divide our votes.
08:09I'm not against Jamaat coming out
08:12and taking part in election
08:14because they were always in favor of Pakistan.
08:17I'm ashamed that those people
08:20who fought all these years
08:23thinking that Kashmir should become part of Pakistan
08:26now, thank God, they have returned to the main field.
08:30And do you think their participation in polls
08:33will somehow affect the National Conference
08:36and Congress alliance?
08:38I don't think so.
08:40They have their own areas of influence.
08:43The question is how much those people will realize
08:46what they are doing is wrong.
08:48Because there is a section of this Jamaat
08:50who don't agree with them.
08:52Who openly said that they are not part of us.
08:55So, there is a battle between the
08:58two wings of Jamaat.
09:01Today is the last day of polling, the third phase.
09:05So, which way do you see the wind blowing?
09:08I hope it blows in favor of National Conference and Congress.
09:12Rest is up to people.
09:15It's for people to decide
09:18what do they want.
09:20It's for them.
09:21Doctor, in your over 40 years career
09:24you have seen many ups and downs in Kashmir's political landscape.
09:27What is the most disturbing thing apart from this article 370?
09:31That still haunts you.
09:33Lot of things haunt me.
09:36I've had very checkered history.
09:41Even when I became Chief Minister.
09:44I was thrown out of power
09:47by the government those who were in Delhi at that time.
09:51I was not a Khalistani
09:54or a Pakistani or an American agent.
09:56But they tried to show this to the world
09:59and to the people of India.
10:02I've seen that also.
10:05I've seen later also.
10:09Are mainstream leaders, especially those in Kashmir
10:13being looked upon with suspicion by New Delhi?
10:16You see, as I told the Prime Minister
10:19when we met, when he called the leaders
10:22in that time of COVID
10:25and I had just recovered from COVID
10:28I didn't even have the strength to go.
10:31But they said, no please come
10:34without you it will not work.
10:36I told him frankly.
10:39And I still believe
10:42the factor that is missing between us and Delhi
10:45is trust.
10:48They don't trust us or we don't trust them.
10:51That is unfortunate.
10:54From day one, from my father's time
10:57this trust factor has been missing.
11:00And I don't know for how long
11:03this trust factor will stay.
11:33Dr. Prime Minister Modi says
11:36with Article 370 abrogation
11:39Kashmir issue is over now. Do you agree?
11:42Kashmir issue will never be over.
11:45Kashmir issue will never be over.
11:48Kashmir issue will never be over.
11:51Kashmir issue will never be over.
11:54Kashmir issue will never be over.
11:57Kashmir issue will never be over.
12:00Kashmir issue will never be over.
12:03Kashmir issue is still
12:06on the books of United Nations.
12:09Let's be frank about it.
12:12It is there.
12:15Tell me
12:18why did they bring people from embassies here
12:21to see the election?
12:24Why? Do they take those members
12:27to recent elections that are going on in Haryana?
12:30Or when they happen in Maharashtra?
12:33Will they take them there?
12:36In their hearts of hearts they are not sure
12:39whether we are part of them or we are not part of them.
12:42That is the problem.
12:45That is where their problem lies.
12:48Do you believe that Kashmir is still a flashpoint
12:51between the three nuclear powers?
12:55They have captured nearly 2,000 km of our land
12:58and are advancing.
13:01Pakistan is on our border.
13:04Terrorism is coming from there
13:07because they are not accepting
13:10that we are part of India.
13:13They say it is still disputed.
13:16Where do you see Kashmir 10 years from now?
13:19I think if they do not mend relations
13:22with both nations,
13:25this is going to be a flashpoint for the future.
13:28I regret that.
13:31Parliamentary elections were held.
13:34Assembly elections are concluding today.
13:37But you did not participate in these polls.
13:40Are you considering retirement from active politics?
13:43Let me tell you what my father told me once
13:46when I told him.
13:50He said once you get into this river,
13:53you will either flow with the current
13:56or if you have the strength,
13:59you will be able to fight the current.
14:02But you can never get out of it.
14:05So how has your journey been from a doctor to a politician
14:08over these decades?
14:11It has been up and down.
14:14Nothing is stable.
14:17It has been a terrible journey.
14:20I wish I had listened to my father
14:23and not joined politics at that time.
14:26It was meant for me
14:29to go through these turbulent times in life.
14:32Sir, your grandson,
14:35Zahid, delivered a very beautiful speech
14:38at Gandharwal.
14:41Can we expect any of your grandsons joining politics soon?
14:44That I can't tell.
14:47I don't have Aladdin's lamp
14:50that I can rub it and ask the genie
14:53whether it's going to happen.
14:56What is in store? I don't know.
14:59I wanted my son not to join politics
15:02as my father asked me.
15:05But it happened.
15:08But do you see a reflection of Sherry Kashmir
15:11in your grandchildren?
15:14I don't know. Sherry Kashmir was far taller
15:17and
15:20I don't think anybody of us can match him.
15:23No question.
15:26Doctor,
15:29will JNK, Jammu and Kashmir get a new government
15:32an alliance government
15:35of National Conference and Congress?
15:38I pray so.
15:41I hope it does happen.
15:44Because there is no question of aligning with BJP.
15:47No question.
15:50Those who are enemies of people
15:53who have shown no love
15:56but accept only hatred,
15:59hatred and hatred,
16:02I don't think National Conference and Congress alliance
16:06My last question, Doctor,
16:09what are the challenges for the next government
16:12that takes place in Jammu and Kashmir?
16:15Tremendous challenges.
16:18First of all, restoration of the statehood.
16:21Powers to be returned to the state,
16:24not to the governor.
16:27He is just a constitutional head.
16:30You can't have a government of people
16:33and governor holding all the powers
16:36and the government of people has no power.
16:39That's a big challenge, major challenge.
16:42Then winning the hearts of people
16:45who have had all sorts of tragedies in these years.
16:48The unemployment,
16:51major factor.
16:54The inflation.
16:57Tremendous thing. Development.
17:00Some areas need immediate help.
17:03So many things.
17:06And we need a liberal government in Delhi
17:09that will look into these things.
17:12And just not promise,
17:15only promise and promise and nothing else.
17:18That is important.
17:21Thank you so much, Doctor, for speaking to us.
17:24God bless you.

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