We want statement in Parl: Omar

Srinagar: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Saturday said Jammu and Kashmir Governor S P Malik has assured his party that no moves are planned on repealing articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution, or the state’s trifurcation. However, the former J&K chief minister said he wants an assurance on these issues from the Centre in Parliament on Monday as “the Governor is not the final word on Jammu and Kashmir”. Abdullah and some of his party colleagues met the Governor on Saturday on these issues. “He assured us that there was no movement on (repealing) Article 370 or Article 35A or delimitation (of constituencies in the state),” Abdullah told reporters here. The Governor also issued a statement after the meeting, saying the state has no knowledge of any changes to Constitutional provisions and assured that the deployment of additional paramilitary forces was purely for security reasons. Abdullah said he has asked his party MPs to move a motion in Parliament on Monday seeking a statement from the Union government on the situation that has developed in Jammu and kashmir over the past few weeks. The NC delegation’s meeting with the Governor comes a day after the state administration issued a travel advisory to Amarnath Yatri and tourists asking them to cut short their sojourn and return as soon as possible. The travel advisory came after the Army said there was a terror threat to the pilgrimage. Abdullah told reporters Saturday, “We want that on Monday the Centre also make a statement in the parliament to explain what was the need for issuing the order for vacating pilgrims and tourists. We want to hear from the Parliament that the people here need not worry. “The Governor has assured us but the Governor is not the final word on Jammu and Kashmir. The final word on Jammu and Kashmir is of Government of India. Now, we want to hear from Government of India in the Parliament what is their intention about Jammu and Kashmir and what is their assessment of the situation here,” he said. Abdullah said his party MPs have already raised the issue in Lok Sabha last time through a calling attention notice but “I would request them to give another notice on Monday to raise this issue again. We will try to seek an answer from the government on this.” (PTI)