‘Art 370 would never be restored in JK’

Srinagar, Nov 20: The BJP on Friday asserted that Article 370, which was revoked by the Centre last year, would never be restored in Jammu and Kashmir, and alleged that parties of ‘Gupkar alliance’ were befooling people by making promises over its restoration.
Addressing a press conference here, BJP national spokesperson Shahnawaz also said the upcoming District Development Council (DDC) polls were being fought over local developmental issues and its results would not be a referendum on the Centre’s last year’s decision of revocation of the special status of the erstwhile state.
“We believe that when someone dies, he cannot return from the grave. Article 370 has also been buried and it will never return. It can never be restored and no world power can help in its restoration,” he said.
The BJP leader, who is the party’s incharge for Kashmir for the polls, said NC president Farooq Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti were befooling people by showing them dreams, but asserted their dreams would never come true. “They are showing the people dreams and befooling them. There is no big a lie than that. These are the same leaders who were claiming Article 370 cannot be scrapped and even stated that nobody in J-K will raise tricolour if it is scrapped. However, the people are now raising tricolour without any objection,” he said.
Hussain said the leaders of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PGAD) – an amalgam of several parties, including the NC and the PDP, seeking the restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state – had accepted the Centre’s decision of revocation of Article 370.
Referring to the DDC polls, he said the lotus – the BJP’s election symbol – will bloom in the valley like the rest of the country. (PTI)