Omar Abdullah said his 232-day detention made him “bitter”, “resentful” and “angry” (File photo)
New Delhi:
The leader of the National Conference, Omar Abdullah, says in a new book that it will not be “Indian enough for right-wing nationalist politicians” or “Kashmir enough for those who do not see the future of Kashmir as part of India.”
Therefore, it is better to be true to yourself, Abdullah said in the recently released “India Tomorrow: Conversations with the Next Generation of Political Leaders”.
Abdullah was detained when the government revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 and divided the state into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on August 5 last year.
He said his 232-day detention period has made him “bitter”, “resentful” and “angry”, but will not change his proven position that Jammu and Kashmir “is an integral part of India”.
“Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. As much as I would like to say that my arrest and the circumstances of August 5 have made me change my mind about it, it is not so,” he said.
“Because the position I have taken takes into account all sorts of factors, and I don’t think Jammu & Kashmir has a future for itself outside of its relationship with India,” said Abdullah in an interview with the authors, Pradeep Chhibber. and Harsh Shah.
The book offers readers a snapshot of contemporary Indian politics through interviews with 20 of the country’s most prominent next-generation politicians, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.
“I have come to terms with the fact that I will never be Indian enough for right-wing nationalist politicians. But neither will I be Kashmir enough for those who do not see the future of Kashmir as part of India. And therefore it is better be honest with yourself, “said Abdullah.
Nothing, he said, justifies “what India did at J&K on August 5, 2019.” Without sparing his words, the 50-year-old politician said he believes Jammu and Kashmir have been treated “very, very badly” and that “all promises made have been broken.”
That said, Abdullah is very clear that he will not ask the incumbent government to reverse its position on the repeal of Article 370 and Article 35A or to convert the newly formed Union Territory into a state.
“… why would I ask Mr. Modi to reverse what Mr. Modi has done? It’s stupid. It doesn’t make sense. It’s just symbology. It’s the worst form of politics because all I’d be doing is trying to appease the voters, knowing that, well, nothing will come out. And I don’t want to do that. I think the politics of appeasement is the worst thing I can do to the people here, “he explained.
The National Conference has challenged the Center’s decisions to remove the provisions of Article 370 that gave Jammu and Kashmir special status and divide it into two union territories, in the Supreme Court.
Speaking of his eight-month detention, which he initially thought would last “a week or two,” Abdullah said he still has a hard time understanding why he and other leaders, part of the mainstream, were treated the way they were.
“We risked our lives to fight the elections in Jammu and Kashmir. And ironically, that was cited as a reason for continuing to detain us. One of the clauses of my arrest warrant talks about how I was able to influence the people who would come out and vote in large quantities despite a boycott call and a terrorist threat, “he alleged.
“I never realized this was something that could be used against me. Tomorrow, how am I going to convince people to come out and vote? What am I going to tell them?” I ask.
Abdullah was detained shortly after the Center announced that it was repealing Article 370 on August 5, 2019. He was charged under the Public Safety Act (PSA) in February and released on March 24, 2020.
His father, former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, was also charged under the PSA and released on March 13 after 221 days in detention. PPD leader and former chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti, remains in detention at her home.
According to Omar Abdullah, he traversed the entire spectrum of emotions during his period of detention: “from anger to frustration, to resentment and bitterness, to a kind of resignation to what had happened and then to being angry again for having been arrested and frustrated that “.
“So, I mean, the overwhelming feeling that I came out of detention with is a lot of bitterness and anger, with what I’m trying to accept. But I think it will take a while until I do.” added.
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