Sheikh Abdullah surrendered pre-53 position, restoration impossible without separatists: Sajad

Srinagar, Apr 07: Peoples Conference chairman and former minister Sajad Gani Lone on Sunday claimed that his party’s rally at Hanjiwera Pattan on Srinagar-Baramulla highway was a total defiance against ban on the movement of civilian traffic on Srinagar-Jammu highway and in the same breath blamed National Conference and PDP for erosion of autonomy as the two parties were running governments in alliance with Congress several times in the past.
Talking to reporters after addressing an election rally at Hanjiwera Pattan, the Peoples Conference chairman alleged that National Conference and PDP are themselves spreading canards about abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35-A and beating chests over the special status of the state just to get votes and mislead people.
Saying that Omar Abdullah was the foreign minister and Mehbooba Mufti the chief minister under BJP rule at the centre and in the state, Lone said, “Late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah surrendered the 53 position by virtue of an accord with the then Congress government at the centre in 1975 and we once voted to power will take on board the separatists for restoring the special status in its totality as mainstream parties responsible for detentions under PSA and killings can’t be part of any resolution on Kashmir issue.”
Claiming that Peoples Conference will emerge as the highest vote taking part in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, PC chairman said, “the public mood for perceptible change on ground is visible and once the voting machines will be opened on May 23 the results will narrate the real tale of Kashmir electorate to both National Conference and PDP.