India / PDP responsible for abrogation of Article 370: Omar Abdullah

Srinagar: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Tuesday blamed the People's Democratic Party (PDP) for the abrogation of Article 370, which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

While addressing a public gathering at Chatroo in Inderwal, J&K, Omar Abdullah said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took advantage of "our weakness".

"Following the Assembly elections of 2014 in Jammu and Kashmir, I extended a hand of friendship to Mufti Mohammad Sayeed (PDP founder). I warned him against stitching an alliance with the BJP and told him it would prove to be extremely dangerous for the people of Kashmir," said the former J&K Chief Minister.

He went on to add, "I told Mufti sahab that neither I was interested in the CM seat nor any of my colleagues wanted a berth in his Cabinet. We did not even seek a Rajya Sabha seat."

"We offered to back him in the Assembly without any conditions and requested him not to join hands with the powers which would be harmful for Kashmir," he recalled.

Omar Abdullah concluded his speech saying, "We don't know till when we will have to suffer the consequences of the decision (abrogation of Article 370)."

Yesterday, slamming the Congress for its silence, Omar Abdullah said his party will single-handedly continue its fight for the restoration of Article 370, if the grand old party is not ready to fight this battle.

J&K's future is linked to the special status guaranteed by the Constitution, he said, adding that the case for restoration of Article 370 is very strong.

The former chief minister accused the BJP of "murdering democracy" in the Union Territory, after abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, by rendering institutions, including newspapers, feeble and said it has rendered "hollow" India's slogan of being the biggest democracy in the world.