People’s Conference would back any resolution on restoration of Art 370 in assembly: Sajad Lone

Srinagar, Sep 5 (PTI) People’s Conference president Sajad Lone Thursday said his party would support any resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly that seeks to restore Article 370.

Lone, however, said that passing a resolution would only be a “moral thing” and that only the Parliament can restore J-K’s special status.

“If there is a resolution in the assembly, we will support it. But, if no one brings it, then we will bring a resolution,” Lone told reporters here when asked about his party’s plan on restoration of the special status of J-K which was revoked by the Centre on August 5, 2019.

The PC chief released the party’s manifesto for the assembly elections, promising to fight for the restoration of Article 370 and statehood, as well as for the resolution of the Kashmir issue.

Passing a resolution on Article 370 in the assembly, Lone added, was just a “moral thing” as special status of J-K can only be restored by Parliament.

On the restoration of Article 35A, Lone said such a provision can be partially restored in the J-K assembly if its statehood is restored. “We can pass some parts of it in the assembly here like Himachal Pradesh did,” he said.

“We will all together have to agitate” for the restoration of Article 370, the separatist-turned-mainstream politician said.

“A day should come where we should all agitate as a part of a federal solution. The problem is in the name. They have defamed Article 370 so much that every normal, unsuspecting Indian thinks that it is perhaps a conspiracy against India, which is not.

“It is a federal arrangement, a federal solution, made with many provinces… and across the world, such arrangements have been there for the last 200 years. I believe as the Indian democracy evolves, a day will come when we will have a federal solution at par with (Article) 370,” he said.

Asked whether his party will enter into a pre-poll alliance with any other party, Lone said the PC will fight on its own.

He said he would likely contest from two seats ‘“ Handwara and Kupwara in north Kashmir. “I have been contesting from Handwara, but am under pressure from the people of Kupwara segment to contest from there. So, most likely, I will contest from two seats,” he added.

On BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav’s remarks that ex-militants were campaigning for National Conference and People’s Democratic Party, Lone said such statement were made to benefit the National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic party (PDP)

“Ram Madhav is not a child. He knows there are 99.9 per cent Muslims here and BJP is seen as an anti-Muslim party. His statements are there to benefit, to help NC and PDP. I will pay him Rs 1 lakh to give such statements against me everyday.

“These statements are meant to maintain status quo. This is all a lie. They have the government, if there is any such thing, then let them take action,” he said.

Madhav used to give such statements in 2014 as well, but after the polls, the BJP formed a coalition government with the PDP, Lone said.

In its manifesto for the assembly polls, the People’s Conference promises to fight for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A as well as statehood, saying the party will support all efforts within and outside the legislative forums to restore the pre-2019 constitutional position of J-K.

The manifesto also promised to support and facilitate the efforts aimed at the resolution of Kashmir issue, saying “it is not infinitely intractable and can be arrived at through sincere engagement by all sides”.

The party also promised to strive for the repeal of laws like AFSPA, PSA and Enemy Agents Ordinance and make efforts towards the release of political prisoners.

It also assured to work towards a dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits if elected to power.