SRINAGAR: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Friday lauded the Congress for urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
“I congratulate Kharge and Rahul Gandhi for raising the issue with the Prime Minister. A meeting of all leaders is scheduled for the evening of July 19, where this matter will be taken up again,” Abdullah told reporters.
His remarks came in response to a query about the Congress leaders’ letter to PM Modi, demanding the restoration of J&K’s statehood during the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament.
When asked whether the Centre would take steps to restore statehood, the former chief minister said it was the people’s right.
“Why not? It is our right. If they don’t, we’ll deal with it accordingly,” he said.
The Centre had revoked J&K’s special status on August 5, 2019, and bifurcated it into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
On the US designating The Resistance Front (TRF) as a foreign terrorist organization in connection with the recent Pahalgam attack, Abdullah said it was too early to draw conclusions.
“The attack is still under investigation. It would be inappropriate to comment until the probe is complete,” he added.
