Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone took a dig at the Jammu and Kashmir political leaders for attending the meeting of several opposition parties which had “no mention of Article 370”.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi convened an online meeting of 19 opposition parties yesterday which also saw participation of National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who were represented by their presidents Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti respectively.
The meeting, in a joint statement, demanded restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and release of political prisoners.
Taking to twitter today, Lone questioned the J-K leaders saying how they can “justify their presence in the meeting if they could not convince the leaders to talk about 370”.
“No mention of Article 370 in opposition parties meet. In wonderment how can J and K leaders justify their presence in the meeting if they could not convince the leaders to talk about 370. BJP anti 370’stance is clear. What is the national opposition stance.,” he tweeted.
In another tweet, the PC chairman criticised the regional leaders for becoming a part of “don’t talk about 370” discourse. “And y r leaders from j and k becoming a part of a process which endorses “don’t talk about 370” discourse. Wow so u become a part of a national opposition which abandons 370 and u irk and irritate a ruling party, not known for tolerance and hence put even statehood at risk.”
Lone, who was jailed after abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s limited autonomy in 2019, said that the leadership from J-K should either “get the national opposition endorse demand for restoration of Article 370 so that at the national level there is some hope at a future date or just keep out of it”.
“Wow so u become a part of a national opposition which abandons 370 and u irk and irritate a ruling party, not known for tolerance and hence put even statehood at risk,” he tweeted.
He said the silence of opposition parties suggests that they won’t restore Article 370. “Article 370 can be restored either in parliament or by the courts. Courts we have to wait. It is a long process. In parliament we know BJP won’t restore it. The quietude of opposition parties suggest they won’t either. Then who will.”
