NC President Farooq Abdullah calls for immediate restoration of J&K statehood
Speaking at the 'Statehood Now' public meeting at the Constitution Club of India here Abdullah voiced serious concern over the state of democracy and rising divisions in the country. The event was organised by the Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir.
'Who gave you the right to take away our statehood? Did you ask the people? Was the assembly in session?' he asked, referring to the Centre's move to revoke Jammu and Kashmir's special status. He also cited a recent interview in which the then Governor of J&K admitted he was unaware of the constitutional process at the time. 'Even the then Governor admitted he didn't know the law,' Abdullah added.
'We are not here to bow. We are not here to beg. It is our right as Indians under the Constitution of India. What you have done is illegal. Restore our statehood,' he said.
Abdullah warned that the situation in Kashmir could become a precedent for other parts of the country.
'..We want our rights. We fight for our rights. We came here to ask for it. Many people who spoke here said rightly said Kashmir is the testing ground. That will be the fate of many other states very soon. I hope that doesn't happen.'
He added: 'For that we all have to stand together.'
He also criticised what her termed as growing polarisation and marginalisation of vulnerable communities in the country. 'This is not the India I grew up in, and I'm not going to accept this as my India,' he said. 'I want an India where we exist as equals, love each other, and rise above religion, region, and language.'
Abdullah said: 'The Constitution gives every Indian the right to vote and live with dignity, regardless of background. Those values are now under threat.'
Calling for unity and collective resolve, Abdullah said' 'It's our country. If we don't defend it and our Constitution, what will we tell our children?.' He ended his speech with a Jai Hind.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
41 minutes ago
- The Hindu
‘We are not asking for a city like London or Paris, all we want is clean water, decent roads'
A public convention was organised by the Ballari Nagarika Horata Samithi (BNHS) at Gandhi Bhavan here on Sunday to highlight long-standing civic issues in the city and demand immediate redressal. The gathering focused on several pressing concerns, including the need for clean drinking water, proper underground drainage, road repairs, and measures to curb the menace of stray dogs and cattle. Inaugurating the convention, senior advocate R. Pandu said that Article 21 of the Constitution guaranteed every citizen the right to live with dignity and yet the right has been clearly denied in Ballari. 'Contaminated water is being supplied once every eight-10 days, roads are in poor condition and pollution levels have worsened. The municipal corporation is more focused on collecting taxes rather than addressing civic issues. We are not asking for a city like London or Paris. All we want is clean water, clean air and decent roads,' he asserted. BNHS district advisor Narasanna remarked, 'A nation is not just about its land or borders, but its people. Unfortunately, Ballari's civic issues show that the authorities have forgotten this. Despite slogans like Swachh Bharat, our streets remain filthy. If our problems are not addressed, what is the point of having a municipal corporation?' Retired inspector and BNHS advisor Murtuza Saab, who helped lead the month-long preparations for the convention, said that over one lakh signatures have already been collected in support of the demands. 'This has already forced the municipal body to carry out some minor works. This is the power of people's movements,' he noted, urging citizens to intensify their participation in future protests. Presiding over the meeting, BNHS district coordinator R. Somashekhar Gowda said that the municipal corporation is creating new civic problems instead of solving the existing ones. 'Residents must form local citizen committees and fight back. Struggle is the only way forward,' he said. BNHS advisor and industrialist Shyamsundar, executive committee members N. Pramod and A. Shanta addressed the gathering. Information on the problems affecting various neighbourhoods and possible solutions was shared. A new 47-member action committee was formed to spearhead future efforts. The committee plans to submit a memorandum to the Mayor on Wednesday. The convention witnessed participation from numerous resident welfare associations and citizens across Ballari.
Deccan Herald
an hour ago
- Deccan Herald
Country wanted Operation Tandoor, not Sindoor: SP MP Rajbhar in Lok Sabha
Rajbhar praised the unity shown by Indians across religious lines, saying, 'Terrorists wanted to incite riots in India, but Hindus and Muslims together foiled the enemy's plan.'
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Give 'martyr' status to Pahalgam attack victims: Shubham Dwivedi's wife
Kanpur: As the Lok Sabha debated 'Operation Sindoor' on Monday, Aishanya Dwivedi, the wife of Pahalgam terror attack victim Shubham Dwivedi, demanded 'Martyr' status for all 26 victims of the horrific incident. Ashanya Dwivedi, wife of Shubham Dwivedi, who was shot dead in the Pahalgam terror attack.(ANI file photo) She also accused political leaders of undermining the gravity of the April 22 attack this year and reminded them that "terrorists didn't ask for anyone's caste or political party -- they attacked Indians". "It's been three months since the attack (Pahalgam terror attack) and only now the matter is finally being addressed in Parliament," Aishanya told PTI. "I've spent the entire day hoping that something concrete will come out of today's discussions (in parliament) for the 26 martyrs, their families, and the widows left behind," she said. The Lok Sabha on Monday took up a special discussion on India's 'strong, successful and decisive Operation Sindoor in response to the terror attack in Pahalgam". "A tragedy of such magnitude, and it's through 'Operation Sindoor' that it's being acknowledged," she said, adding, "We're still fighting for recognition (martyr status)". She said the country must stand by the grieving families and support them. "I'm only 27 or 28 years old; I don't know what people expect to do or how they expect us to move on. But I know one thing: I am a daughter of this nation, and he was a son of this soil. If this country truly stands by its citizens, this is the time to show it," she said. She stressed that at a time like this, "all of us", regardless of background, should speak in one voice, as one nation. This is not a political issue, Aishanya Dwivedi said. "Terrorists didn't ask for anyone's caste or political party -- they attacked Indians," she told PTI, reacting sharply to remarks by senior Congress leader and former Home Minister P Chidambaram, who allegedly questioned the government's claim that the attackers were from Pakistan. "I fail to understand why some people -- XYZ or anyone -- are making such insensitive statements. Do they forget that they are Indians first? "This terrorist attack wasn't carried out after asking someone's political affiliation... It was an attack on Indians, on our own people, on Hindus living peacefully in this country," she said. "Making unnecessary comments, defending Pakistan, raising baseless questions, I honestly don't know where these people come from or what they're thinking. Do they even hear themselves? Maybe they're unaffected because this didn't happen to them. That's why they can talk so carelessly," she said. At the same time, she said, questions on how the country will fight terrorism should be addressed. "More than anything, I want answers. What are we doing to fight terrorism? What strategies are in place? What action will we take moving forward? These are the questions that matter most to me today." She said getting a 'Martyr' status for her slain husband, Shubham Dwivedi, and the 25 others killed in the terror ambush remains her priority. "Shubham didn't just die; he gave his life for the country. What more does it take to be called a martyr?" She says the families of the victims -- particularly the wives have received "no official assurance, no meaningful relief and no recognition". "What about the families they left behind? What is the government doing for the wives, for the children, for those of us who now have to live with this loss? "Life has changed forever. For 26 women, the word 'husband' no longer exists. We've lost more than a loved one; we've lost our support system, our future. But till now, not one step from the government makes us feel seen," she said. "I'm not saying the government isn't thinking. Maybe the central or the state government must be thinking and is waiting for the right moment. But even after three months, we haven't seen a single step that makes us feel that something meaningful has been done for us," she said. Aishanya appealed for national solidarity and rejected divisive narratives. "We must stand with the nation and fight against terrorism. Dividing opinions, questioning the Army doesn't make any sense. It only makes us weaker." Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said in the Lok Sabha that Operation Sindoor was "paused" as the armed forces had achieved the desired politico-military objectives and asserted that there was "no pressure" to end it. The entire operation was over in 22 minutes and the Pahalgam killings were "avenged". If Pakistan indulges in a fresh misadventure, it will resume again, the minister said in his opening remarks on the special debate on Pahalgam terror strikes and Operation Sindoor in the lower house.
