Senior Congress leader GhulamNabi Azad who met National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah here on Saturday said that release of all incarcerated political leaders “can help make a fresh start of the political process in J&K”.
Azad is the first national-level political leader who metAbdullah a day after the latter’s release from 7 month-long detention. “I amaware of the hardships leaders such as Dr Farooq faced while they were indetention. Knowing his health conditions, there were major excesses from thegovernment to keep him in detention for such as long time. It is time that allother leaders including the two former Chief Ministers were released,” saidAzad while addressing media persons at Abdullah’s Gupkar residence.
Azad said democracy was’non-existent’ as two former CMs of J&K along with former ministers andpolitical leaders continued to be under detention. “We are facing a scenario that two formerChief Ministers, ministers and legislators are under detention. This raisesquestions that where is the democracy. Restoration of democracy is the firstand foremost thing for any political process to start in J&K,” said Azad.”Democracy can be restored only once leaders under detention are released.”
Azad brushed aside theissue of abrogation of Article 370 but said restoration of statehood to Jammuand Kashmir should happen soon. “J&K is (one of) the biggest state of thecountry not just in terms of size but its diversity and rich history. It is theneed of the hour that restoration of statehood to J&K should take placesoon,” he said.
Azad said purpose of hisvisit to the Valley for meeting the senior Abdullah was personal but lauded therole of Parliamentarians for demanding release of detained leaders includingFarooq Abdullah. “The way members of LokSabha and RajyaSabha raised voice forrelease of not just political leaders but even common people of the Valley iscommendable. I told Dr Farooq about how leaders from various opposition partiesshowed their concern for his release,” Azad said.
He said more than 7month-long detention of Dr Farooq Abdullah and also that of NC Vice-PresidentOmar Abdullah and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti had taken everyone by surprise.
“Detention of someone takesplaces when the person has done something anti-national. In the case of leadersdetained here, they were incarcerated even before abrogation of Article 370,”said Azad.
He said release of detainedleaders in the Valley will pave way not just for a political process but alsofor progress of Jammu and Kashmir. “A political process can lead to electionshere and whichever government is elected will work for the overall development.For last three years all developmental works have come to a standstill andeconomy is going through a slump. All sectors including tourism are sufferingfrom this downturn which can be overcome only once all political leaders arereleased and a political process is started,” Azad said.
When asked about the newpolitical parties being floated, Azad said, “It is often that these parties arestarted by different agencies and there is nothing new in this trend.” Earlier,Dr Farooq Abdullah thanked Azad for the visit.