Farooq Abdullah vows to restore Article 370 even if it takes years

Srinagar, Sep 09: National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah Monday said the restoration of Article 370 is the voice of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and asserted the special provision of the erstwhile state would be restored even if it might take many years.

Abdullah's remarks came a day after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said restoring Article 370 was impossible as long as the BJP is there. "I want to ask him how many years it took for them (BJP) to revoke it. We might take many years to restore it, but we will surely restore it," Abdullah told reporters in Baramulla district.

"This is the voice of the whole J&K, this is the voice of the people."

Referring to the recent terror attacks in the Jammu region, the NC president said the BJP had claimed Article 370 was the root cause of terrorism in J&K, but attacks were taking place even after its abrogation.

"They were saying terrorism is there because of Article 370...I want to ask them, where is this terrorism coming from then? Let them answer," he said.

The former chief minister said New Delhi was responsible for whatever was happening in J&K.

"Who is responsible for (hijacking of flight) IC814 which was taken to Kandahar? People like (Jaish-e-Mohammad chief) (Massod) Azhar, etc, who are there and are running things now, I had told them (New Delhi) not to take (release) them (militants), but they did not listen. New Delhi is responsible for whatever is happening here," the NC president said.

To a question about Congress leader Vikar Rasool Wani's remarks that the NC has "sucked the blood" of the people, Abdullah, whose party is in a pre-poll alliance with the Congress for the J&K assembly elections, said it will not affect the alliance.

"Let him say whatever he wants. I cannot stop anyone. But, his party stands with us, we are in the alliance and God willing, we will continue to be in the alliance even without him," he said.