Tourists come and go like prisoners: Farooq Abdullah

‘Article 370 will be restored one day’

Srinagar, Sep 12 (KINS): National Conference (NC) President and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) claims about improved security in the Union Territory post the abrogation of Article 370, saying that tourists are treated “like prisoners.”

According to the Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS), Abdullah stated, “There never used to be so many forces during the Amarnath Yatra. Now, tourists come like prisoners and are taken away like prisoners in caged buses.”

He expressed confidence that Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, would be restored. “We will achieve it one day. There is no rush. It took India 200 years to gain independence. I may not live to see it, but it will happen,” Abdullah asserted.

Addressing claims of reduced stone-pelting incidents since 2019, Abdullah said many “innocent children” remain imprisoned, and despite the Prime Minister’s promise to form a committee to investigate the issue, no action has been taken.

Commenting on the G20 Summit held in the region, Abdullah criticized the limited exposure of foreign dignitaries.