Repealing Article 370 to worsen situation: Farooq Abdullah on J&K autonomy

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir would become uncontrollable if Article 370 gets repealed.

The former chief minister further said that Article 370, which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir, can never be revoked.

Article 370 of the Constitution gives autonomous status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier in October, state Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh said that Article 370 has caused harm to Jammu and Kashmir and called for abrogation of the provision.

The Supreme Court is also hearing a plea demanding revocation of Article 35A, which allows the state legislature to define "permanent residents".

'Centre's approach persistently miscalculated'

The opposition leader claimed that the government's policies were breeding feelings of estrangement and dissociation among the people of the state.

"New Delhi should understand that iron fist and subjugation has never yielded positive results anywhere. Same is the case with Kashmir where it's because of these things that situation has deteriorated over the years. It is high time that the policy makers realize the gravity of situation and start to look at Kashmir empathetically and not merely as a law and order problem," he said.

The NC president said that Maharaja Hari Singh acceded to the Union of India on three conditions unique to the state.

It has been recorded and accepted in the Indian Constitution as well, so we are not like any other state in India, he said adding that autonomy should be restored.

He said the best political initiative from BJP government at the Centre would have been taking steps to restore faith of people by showing sincerity in addressing Kashmir issue.

"Instead there has been a well planned and executed political conspiracy to aggravate the situation by fiddling with Article 35 A and Article 370 of Indian Constitution, not once but consistently," he added.

He alleged the state government had neglected local governance.

"I am in utter shock and disbelief that through my tour of LoC areas I did not see any sign of government. Peoples' plight has no listeners," he claimed.