Srinagar

As August 5 marks six years since the abrogation of Article 370, National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah on Monday lambasted the Centre, asking about the timeline to reinstate the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir.

Holding the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the Centre to fulfil its promise, the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister urged the government to hold elections to Rajya Sabha seats and not deny people the right to speak about their problems.

"When are they going to return the statehood? They said that the minute you have elections and the government is formed, the statehood will be restored. What has happened to that? Now they are saying that they will hold elections in two vacant assembly seats, but what about elections to four seats in the Rajya Sabha? Why are they denying people the right to get to that house to speak of their problems?" Abdullah told ANI.

Reacting to the BJP planning certain programs to celebrate the abrogation of Article 370, the senior NC leader said that the BJP had nothing to celebrate. He questioned the Centre over rising unemployment and rising prices in Jammu and Kashmir.

"They have nothing to celebrate. What did they (BJP) do in 6 years to make this state better? Our highly educated boys and girls remain unemployed. Prices are rising into the sky. The poor are getting poorer, while the rich are getting richer. Is that what they have achieved? I am sure they will have to do it; there is no way out." Abdullah said.

Taking a dig at Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, he said, "His viceroy is sitting here in Raj Bhawan. There is a government (in J&K), but the viceroy is the main man. The time has come when this has to change. It is a democratic country."

When asked about the Centre's efforts to ensure peace in the valley, Abdullah said that there is a need to find a way out of the conflict.

"I don't see the peace coming. I think we are living in a fool's paradise to think that peace will come overnight. We have a strong neighbour, whether it is China or Pakistan. Somehow, we have to find a way out. War is not a way out. Finally, you have to use a pen and discuss things. How does it hurt us?" he said.

On the ongoing Kulgam encounter, Abdullah said, "I feel very sad the way we are going and about the future of this nation."

He went on to question the Centre over their claims that terrorist camps have been uprooted in Jammu and Kashmir, asking how the Kulgam encounter was happening if that was the case.

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"I have never said that militancy is over. Those people who were saying that Article 370 is responsible for militancy, they were incharge here for so many years. Before the Pahalgam (attack) happened, they (the central govt) had announced that they had uprooted terrorist camps. Even in the present war they had with the neighbour, they said that they had knocked them (terrorists) out, so how is Kulgam (encounter) happening?" Abdullah added.