Srinagar, Jul 29: National Conference (NC) president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday urged the Central government to speak up on developments in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), saying New Delhi cannot remain silent if it considers the region an integral part of India. He also defended the growth of hotels in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, Dr Abdullah said he had appealed to the Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister to raise the issue.
“If PoJK is an integral part of India, then the government must speak up about what is happening there. I have not heard it raise its voice on the issue. The UN Human Rights Commission should also take note of the developments there,” he said.
The former J&K Chief Minister said stronger intervention was needed until the concerns of the people living in PoJK were addressed.
On the student protests in Delhi, he said the agitation would continue if the authorities failed to address the students’ demands.
“If the promises made to them are not fulfilled and instead they are met with FIRs, arrests and harassment, this movement will continue,” Dr Abdullah said.
Replying to another query on the alleged crackdown following the recent Delhi protest, the NC president said the families of those booked in different cases were being harassed and called it a serious issue requiring immediate attention. “The families are being harassed. This is a big issue, and the government must take it seriously,” he said.
Expressing concern over the growing drug menace among youth, he said unemployment remained one of the biggest challenges confronting Jammu and Kashmir and called for sustained efforts to tackle both issues.
Responding to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s remarks that more than 5,000 illegal hotels had come up in Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Abdullah defended the growth of private accommodation, saying it reflected people’s efforts to earn a livelihood while catering to the increasing influx of tourists.
“Be thankful those hotels have come up. Tourists visit here. Where else would they stay? I have seen the time when tourists had to sleep in taxis, cars and even on the roads. Be thankful that people are now standing on their own feet instead of depending on government jobs,” he said—(KNO)
