Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah on Monday expressed his disappointment in response to the Supreme Court's ruling on pleas challenging the abrogation of Article 370. In a post on X, Abdullah affirmed, "Disappointed but not disheartened. The struggle will continue." Reflecting on the prolonged effort by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to abrogate Article 370, he added, "It took the BJP decades to reach here. We are also prepared for the long haul."
The Supreme Court, on Monday, upheld the Centre's decision to abrogate Article 370 on August 5, 2019, which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The court emphasised the need for conducting elections to the Union Territory's Assembly by September 30 next year and directed the restoration of statehood at the earliest.
Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah allege 'house arrest'
Omar Abdullah and People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti, claimed they were placed under house arrest in anticipation of the Supreme Court's verdict on Article 370. While the People's Democratic Party (PDP) asserted the sealing of Mufti's residence, the National Conference (NC) reported the locking of Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah's residence gates. Police, however, denied these claims, stating, "No person has been put under house arrest."
The PDP, in a post on X, alleged that Mufti's residence and a nearby PDP officer were sealed by the police. An NC leader, Sara Hayat Shah, shared pictures of the locked gate of the Abdullah residence, questioning, "Omar Abdullah has been locked up in his house. Democracy?"
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and the police refuted the allegations, asserting that no person was under house arrest. Omar Abdullah, responding to the denial, questioned the veracity of the statement, asking the LG if he was "being dishonest" or if the police were acting independently. He posted pictures of the locked gate of his residence.
Iltija Mufti, the daughter of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and her media advisor, countered the police's claim, urging them to allow the media to verify the situation. "Count the number of locks. Why don’t you allow the media to come & see for themselves if we are under house arrest or not?" she said in a post on X.
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