Farooq hails Congress for taking up J&K statehood issue with PM Modi
On US designating TRF foreign terror group for role in Pahalgam attack, NC leader declines comment, saying matter still under investigation.
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Friday congratulated the Congress for writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
“I congratulate (Mallikarjun) Kharge and Rahul (Gandhi) who raised the issue with the PM and a meeting of all leaders will take place on (July) 19 evening in which this issue will be raised again,” he told reporters in Srinagar.
Abdullah was responding to a question about Gandhi and Kharge’s letter to Prime Minister Modi seeking restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir during the monsoon session of Parliament.
Asked if the Centre will restore the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, the former chief minister said it was the right of the people. “Why not? It is our right. If they don’t, we will see,” he said.
On August 5, 2019, the Centre scrapped Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, bifurcating the region into two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Asked about the US designating The Resistance Front (TRF) as a foreign terrorist group for its involvement in the Pahalgam attack, Abdullah said it was too premature to comment as the incident was still under investigation.
“That (Pahalgam attack) is under investigation. Till the investigation is complete, commenting on it will be wrong,” he added.
