Srinagar, July 31 : Leader of Opposition and senior BJP leader Sunil Sharma on Thursday said that if Chief Minister Omar Abdullah seeks the return of statehood with Article 370 and so-called dignity, then “he should forget it.”
Sharma said that Article 370 is buried, and there is no question of reviving it.
“If Omar Abdullah is asking for statehood with dignity, and if by dignity he means 370 or special status, then he must understand that it will never return. But if he is ready to accept normal statehood without 370, then we are on the same page,” Sharma said while speaking to Kashmir News Service(KNS).
He further accused Omar Abdullah and his party of confusing the public. “They glorify 13th July, demand holidays in the name of Sheikh Abdullah, and link dignity with Article 370. That era is over. People now want development, not outdated slogans,” Sharma said.
The BJP leader added that statehood will be granted when the time is right, but not on conditions tied to the past. “There’s no need for Omar to campaign. If he agrees to normal statehood, he can sit in his office or car, and it will come without asking,” he said.
Targeting PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, Sunil Sharma said she has long represented the elements in J&K who sympathized with terrorists and separatists.
“Today, 99.5% of Jammu and Kashmir is peaceful. Mehbooba Mufti speaks for the 0.5% who supported unrest and questioned India’s unity. That is why she is no longer politically relevant,” Sharma said.
He added that Mehbooba’s sharp decline was visible in the last elections. “She managed just three seats after the government fell. If she continues this path, she may not even get those next time.”(KNS)
