Will wait for ‘Liberal’ Govt to restore special status: Sajad Gani Lone
People’s Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone said he does not expect the BJP-led government in the Centre to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.
“I wouldn’t expect them to give it back. But that doesn’t stop us from going to the courts, which we have, or waiting for a liberal government at a future date to give it back,” the People’s Conference tweeted Mr. Lone’s remarks on its official handle today.
The Centre on August 5, 2019, had abrogated Article 370, which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated it into Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
“Abrogating Article 370 was an ideological plank of this government for 70 years,” Sajad Gani Lone said.
The separatist-turned-mainstream politician said his party will not allow the restoration of the special status to come in the way of seeking other objectives like granting statehood to one of the youngest Union Territories of the country.
“We should not allow the issues of Articles 370 and 35A to be an impediment in delivering other things which are more achievable in the short term like full statehood,” Mr. Lone said, according to the tweet.
