Omar Abdullah says Governor assured him Article 35A will not be diluted

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah on Saturday said Governor Satya Pal Malik “assured him there was no initiative in progress to dilute Article 35A of the Constitution, start delimitation or trifurcate.”

Mr. Abdullah said, “The government order asking tourists and pilgrims to leave has panicked people in J&K. Locals are queuing up outside petrol pumps. I met the Governor to seek answers as it’s hard finding truth on what is going to happen. However, the Governor assured us no such move is underway whether it’s Article 35A, delimitation or trifurcation.”

The Governor promised to issue a statement on the issue, he said.

Mr. Abdullah asked the Centre to come up with a statement in



Parliament. “The leadership in the Centre should come up with a statement and assure the people of J&K. The Governor does not have a final word on the issue but the Central leadership has. And it should speak up,” he said. “The NC believes that the promises made to J&K when it acceded to India should be respected.”

He asked people to “show patience”. “There are elements who want people to take law and order in their hands so that they go ahead with their designs. We need to ensure it does not happen,” he said.

Mr. Abdullah's meeting with Governor on Saturday comes a day after Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti led a delegation of several political parties, including the Peoples Conference and the J&K Peoples Movement, to the Governor on Friday night.