Veteran politician Farooq Abdullah advocates for an elected government in Jammu and Kashmir
07-05-2023: The delay in holding assembly elections in the Union territory caused concern for Farooq Abdullah, a seasoned politician and former chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir. In an interview, he questioned why, despite the BJP leaders’ claims of winning 50 seats, elections had still not been held by the government. Abdullah criticized the current bureaucratic structure and emphasized the necessity for an elected administration. He has brought up this matter with the opposition parties and is hoping the Election Commission would act quickly.
Abdullah also talked about various issues affecting the country, such as human rights violations, growing religious intolerance, and corruption. He expressed his disappointment with the decline of India on various fronts and urged for lasting peace in the subcontinent through dialogue with Pakistan.
Regarding the delay in conducting assembly elections, Abdullah pointed out that the government has been claiming that the conditions are suitable for holding elections. He wondered why they have not conducted elections if the conditions are suitable, especially since other elections, such as panchayat elections, have been held. Abdullah referred to a statement by the BJP Jammu and Kashmir unit chief that his party could win more than 50 seats in the Assembly elections and form its government. There are 90 seats in the Assembly following a delimitation exercise.
Abdullah smiled and gave a cryptic reply when asked if the situation had actually improved. He also highlighted the recent visit of Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to Goa to attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and expressed hope that both countries can find better methods of peace. Abdullah acknowledged that terrorism continues to be a problem, and he stressed the need for dialogue with Pakistan to find a just solution to the issue.
Lastly, Abdullah expressed his disappointment that Jammu was not chosen as a venue for the G-20 meetings and wondered why it was neglected. He also expressed bitterness over the anti-national tag that is often attached to him and criticized the labeling of politicians who speak the truth.
