Omar Abdullah Talks About Changing Ideologies as Elections Near in Jammu and Kashmir
Ganderbal (Jammu and Kashmir), September 2 – Omar Abdullah, Vice President of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), spoke about the changing ideologies of politicians as elections approach. He referred to several politicians joining the Mehbooba Mufti-led People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Abdullah said, “I won’t go into that, ideology keeps changing. Elections are here, they are ready to contest. Whenever we faced elections, they (PDP) gave calls for boycotts. Now, they are ready to enter the electoral arena. So, a change has come into their ideology.”
He recalled the challenges faced by the JKNC and its leadership over the years, stating, “We were proved to be true. We have always been saying since the ’90s that situations would degrade here, there would be bloodshed but nothing would change. We were taunted for this our colleagues were targeted. Today, we have been proven right. We had said that whatever we gain, we will gain it through democratic ways. Whatever party they join, if they now believe in democracy, it will be a success for us.”
On September 1, several leaders and workers joined PDP at the party headquarters in Srinagar, in the presence of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti. Mufti stressed the party’s agenda of reconciliation and dialogue with the Hurriyat leaders, saying they are not “untouchables” and expressed readiness for dialogue if they want to be “part of the process.”
Former Hurriyat member, Syed Salim Geelani, after joining the PDP, said that the PDP talks about the solution of the Kashmir issue and supports the basic protection of the people.
Polling in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 8. It will be the first assembly poll since the abrogation of Article 370.
Doubts Revealed
Omar Abdullah -: Omar Abdullah is a politician from Jammu and Kashmir, a region in India. He is the Vice President of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), a political party.
Jammu and Kashmir -: Jammu and Kashmir is a region in northern India. It has its own unique culture and history, and it has been a subject of political discussions for many years.
National Conference (JKNC) -: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) is a political party in Jammu and Kashmir. It has been one of the major parties in the region for a long time.
Mehbooba Mufti -: Mehbooba Mufti is another politician from Jammu and Kashmir. She is the leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), another important political party in the region.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) -: The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is a political party in Jammu and Kashmir. It focuses on issues like reconciliation and dialogue to solve problems in the region.
Article 370 -: Article 370 was a special law in the Indian Constitution that gave Jammu and Kashmir a certain degree of autonomy. It was abrogated, or removed, in 2019, changing the region’s status.
abrogation -: Abrogation means the official ending or cancellation of a law or agreement. In this context, it refers to the removal of Article 370.
democracy -: Democracy is a system of government where people choose their leaders by voting in elections. It allows citizens to have a say in how their country or region is run.
