Art 370 abrogation Parliament’s decision, not God’s, says Omar Abdullah

National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said the abrogation of the Article 370 was a decision taken by Parliament, and not by God, stating that it could be changed. He was reacting to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remark, who said that Article 370 was history and would never be part of India’s Constitution again. “Nothing is impossible,” Abdullah said.

Nothing is impossible

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 sit and rule in favour of the Article 370 again. Omar Abdullah, Vice-president, NC

Referring to Shah’s remark on the Article, 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 the favour of the Article 370 again.”

The NC leader also held the BJP-led Central Government responsible for the increase in terror-related incidents in J&K. He said Shah should first tell the people who was 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.

“It has been six years that the control has been with the Central Government. If terrorist attacks are again taking place in Jammu, yatris are being attacked in Reasi, armed forces are being attacked and officers and brave soldiers are getting killed in encounters, who is responsible for all this?” he asked.

Abdullah also exuded confidence that the people would give a clear mandate to the NC-Congress alliance in the J&K Assembly elections. “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 poll from two seats—Budgam and Ganderbal.

Meanwhile, BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh on Tuesday accused Abdullahs of promoting “jihadi agenda” in Jammu and Kashmir “at a time when people want peace and prosperity to return” to the Union Territory.

As per the party statement, Chugh, who is also the party in-charge for J&K, said the “Abdullah family has in fact been following the ‘jihadi’ and ‘communal agenda’ for the last three generations to spread a sense of insecurity and uncertainty in the region.”

According to the statement, Abdullah’s promise to release the prisoners detained due to their subversive and disruptive activities also indicated the “intention to follow the ‘jihadi' agenda”.