Article 370 abrogation Parliament decision, not God’s: Omar Abdullah

Budgam, Sep 17: National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said the abrogation of Article 370 was a decision taken by Parliament, and not by God, and asserted that it can be changed.

He was reacting to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remark at an election rally in Jammu on Monday that Article 370 is history and will never be part of India’s Constitution again.

“Nothing is impossible,” Abdullah said.

The NC leader also held the BJP-led central government responsible for the increase in terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir.

“It has been six years that the control has been with the central government. If terror attacks are taking place once again in Jammu, if yatris were attacked in Reasi, if armed forces are being attacked and if officers and brave soldiers are getting killed in encounters, who is responsible,” he asked.

Referring to Shah’s remark on Article 370, Abdullah said, “It was not God’s decision but that of Parliament. Any decision taken by Parliament can be changed. If the five judges of the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the abrogation, is it not possible that tomorrow a seven-judge bench would rule in favour of Article 370 again.”

He said Shah should first tell the people who were responsible for the increase in terrorism in Jammu.

“You can hold us responsible for something that is our fault, but if there is an increase in terrorism in the Jammu region, the BJP should be held responsible for that,” the former chief minister added.

Abdullah also exuded confidence that the people would give a clear mandate to the NC-Congress alliance in the J&K assembly election.

“I have been campaigning in Budgam for many days now, the only difference is that it will now gain speed as the campaigning for the first phase has ended,” he said.

Abdullah is contesting the assembly polls from two seats -- Budgam and Ganderbal.