People of J&K have endured ‘suffering and hardship’ since 2014: Farooq Abdullah

Jammu, Aug 13 (PTI) National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have endured nothing but “suffering and hardship” in the last 10 years.

He was addressing a one-day delegate convention in Doda, where the National Conference members and local leaders gathered to discuss key issues affecting the region, a party spokesman said.

The former chief minister said the convention focused on formulating and discussing strategies to strengthen the party’s grassroots presence and addressing the needs of people.

“The need for the conscious people of Jammu and Kashmir is to unite in the face of adversity,” Abdullah said, urging the functionaries to show understanding, enthusiasm and unity to combat the “conspiracies and nefarious tricks” that have plagued the region for the past 10 years.

“These schemes were designed to undermine the interests of Jammu and Kashmir, leaving its people vulnerable,” he alleged.

Abdullah highlighted the destructive impact of “arbitrary demarcation” of the assembly seats and parliamentary constituencies, and said it was aimed to divide the population on religious and regional lines.

He stressed the importance of every citizen fulfilling their responsibility in the face of economic disempowerment and increasing burdens imposed on the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The National Conference chief lamented the loss of land, job opportunities and the prevalence of mental health issues among the highly educated youth in the region.

“The revocation of Article 370 and 35A (in August 2019) further exacerbated the challenges faced by people, leading to widespread discontent among educated youth,” he said.

Abdullah asked the functionaries to stand together in solidarity, demonstrating resilience and determination in the face of adversity.