Srinagar, Oct 27 (HS): National Conference (NC) president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday said his party has weathered numerous conspiracies over the years and emerged stronger each time on the strength of public support. Vowing to continue the fight for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, he reiterated the demand that New Delhi restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir without delay.

Addressing a gathering at the party headquarters, Abdullah said the NC has lived through some of the most turbulent and testing periods in its history, and has made countless sacrifices, both financial and in human lives, to safeguard the dignity, prosperity, and constitutional and democratic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. These sacrifices, he said, are an unforgettable chapter in the party’s history.

The NC movement, he said, was built on the fight against injustice and a determination to secure basic rights for the people. To that end, the people of the region, particularly the party’s selfless workers, endured immense hardship in the pursuit of freedom, self-respect and self-reliance.

Conspiracies against the NC are nothing new, Abdullah said, pointing out that the party faced dangerous plots at various points in its history, including in 1953, 1977, 1984 and 1990. Each time, he said, it prevailed because of the unwavering support of the people. Those who tried in the past to split the party and erode its public base, he added, have faded from the political scene. The NC, he said, stands on truth, and the grace of God and the people’s overwhelming support remain its greatest strength.

Renewing his pledge to restore the constitutional and democratic rights of Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah said the struggle for Articles 370 and 35A would go on, and the NC would not back down until the people’s rights were restored. The people, he said, had elected a democratic government through their votes and given it a clear mandate to govern. Respecting that mandate and giving the elected government the powers it needs to do its job, he said, is a basic requirement of democratic principles.

The NC, Abdullah said, is a movement built on public trust, sacrifice and principle, and will continue to fight for the dignity, prosperity and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Senior party leaders, MPs, ministers, MLAs and office-bearers attended the event.

Speaking to reporters at the party headquarters on the cabinet expansion, Abdullah said: “The change in the cabinet is an important step. These people will work and ease the difficulties of the people.”

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Hindusthan Samachar / Zahoor Hussain Bhat