National Conference leader Omar Abdullah attacked the Centre over its move to scrap Article 370 that grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir, calling the move ‘deceit and stealth’ and warned that it will have ‘dangerous consequences’.
“Government of India’s (GoI) unilateral and shocking decisions are a total betrayal of the trust that people of Jammu and Kashmir had reposed in India when they acceded to it in 1947…GoI has resorted to deceit and stealth to lay ground for these disastrous decisions,” the former chief minister said in a statement issued after Home minister Amit Shah introduced the resolution in Rajya Sabha.
The National Conference leader, who recently met the PM to discuss the issue added that the move was unilateral, illegal and unconstitutional and will be challenged by the National Conference.
‘Long and tough battle lies ahead, we are ready for that’, Abdullah said.
Another regional leader, Mehbooba Mufti of the PDP also attacked the Centre over the move and called it ‘the darkest day in Indian democracy’.
With the resolution the Centre moved to scrap the Article 370 while dividing the state into two Union Territories– one of Jammu and Kashmir with legislature, another of Ladakh without one.
The moving of resolution in Parliament followed intense speculation for the past two weeks about a ‘big decision’ on Kashmir. A few days back all tourists and pilgrims at the ongoing Amarnath yatra were told to leave the Valley.
On Sunday night, schools were ordered shut and restrictions put on leaders. On Monday, internet and other communication channels were snapped.