Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and President of the National Conference, Farooq Abdullah, has once again found himself in the midst of controversy, this time with a provocative statement on Kashmir.
When questioned about the Supreme Court’s verdict on the abrogation of Article 370, Abdullah responded sharply, saying, “Let Jammu and Kashmir go to hell.” The statement, born out of apparent exasperation, was made in response to a reporter’s query on his thoughts regarding the Supreme Court’s decision. Abdullah went on to express his frustration, stating, “They betrayed people. They want to win people’s hearts. How’d you win that if you’d do such things to push people father away?”
Later, in clarification to news agency, Abdullah explained, “You indeed are taking it [J&K] to hell. Nothing is being done for ‘heaven’… Tell me what is being done for heaven? Elections are taking place everywhere. What is our fault that it is not being held here?”
Continuing his critique, Abdullah questioned the government’s claim of eliminating terrorism, stating, “You (Central Government) are not winning our hearts. I told the PM clearly that you don’t trust us and we don’t trust you. So how do we build that trust?”
He emphasized, “We have been standing and we will stand with this country as long as we are breathing. We will stand with no other nation. But respect us too, try to win our hearts too.” The National Conference chief’s remarks add fuel to the ongoing debate surrounding the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision on Article 370 and highlight the persistent tensions in the region.