‘Not the India I grew up in’: Farooq calls for statehood restoration

In a fiery and emotionally charged speech at the “Statehood Now” public meeting here on Wednesday, National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah called for the immediate restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s full statehood, while voicing grave concerns over rising communal divisions, the alleged weakening of democratic institutions and the marginalisation of minorities and backward communities in India.

The event, organised by the Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir at the Constitution Club of India, served as a platform for Dr Abdullah to reflect on the state of Indian democracy and the Centre’s handling of Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

“I am a Muslim, and I will remain one. But I am an Indian Muslim, not a Pakistani Muslim. When will you begin to trust the Muslims of India?” he asked.

Expressing anguish over the state of affairs in the country, Dr Abdullah said, “This is not the India I grew up in, and I’m not going to accept this as my India. I want an India where we exist as equals, where love overcomes religion, region or language.” He lamented that minorities, particularly Muslims, Adivasis, and backward communities, are being alienated and discriminated against.

Referring to the Partition and India’s freedom struggle, he reminded the gathering of the sacrifices that earned the country its Constitution. “My father used to say that this right to vote is not just a piece of paper — it’s soaked in the blood of freedom fighters. Where is that India today? Where is our Constitution? Where is our democracy?,” he said.

Dr Abdullah launched a scathing attack on the Centre’s decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and statehood in 2019. “Who gave you the right to take away our statehood? Did you ask the people? Was the Assembly in session? Even the then Governor says he didn’t know the law. I wonder what else he might reveal,” he said.

He dismissed the justification that Jammu and Kashmir’s special status hindered development or promoted militancy. “It was the people of Kashmir who rejected Jinnah and chose Gandhi, who chose India. And this is how we are repaid?” he asked.

Warning of the broader implications of the Centre’s approach, he said, “Kashmir is just a testing ground. What is happening there could soon be the fate of other states. I hope it never comes to that, but we must wake up now.”

He also drew comparison between the current BJP rule and Congress imposed 1975 Emergency. “They speak of the Emergency—it lasted 18 months. This [BJP rule] has gone on for over 11 years. How long will you hide the truth from the rest of India?” he asked.