Mamata recalls phone call with former J-K CM, says it's unfortunate couldn't stand in solidarity

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that a day before the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, she had received a call from a former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister. However, she added that it's unfortunate that she could not stand in solidarity with them.

"A day before everything happened, one of the former Chief Ministers called me saying, 'We are very scared, will you stand with us if we face any trouble?' It's unfortunate that I couldn't stand in solidarity with them. Though not physically, our mind is always with them," Banerjee said at an event here without naming the chief minister.

Banerjee said that the "process of scrapping" Article 370 of the Constitution was wrong.

"I don't want to discuss much about Article 370, but the process of scrapping was wrong. Don't I have the right to know the whereabouts of three former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir? They were elected by the people," she said.

"Since the last 8-10 days, no one in the country knows where they (Chief Minister) are? If I ask this question today, will I be arrested by CBI or ED? I still believe peaceful negotiation could have been done by discussing the issue with all the parties," she added.

Banerjee said that people of Kashmir are unaware of what is happening.

"I ask forgiveness from the people of Kashmir... I request them today what you are seeing this is not our future," she said.

Earlier this month, Parliament had revoked Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and also passed Jammu and Kashmir (Reorganisation) Act 2019, reorganising the state in two Union Territories--Jammu and Kashmir with Assembly and Ladakh without it.