No Question Of Leaders Leaving Kashmir: National Conference On Rumoured Deal

The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Saturday appealed to the central government for the release of its top leaders to pave the way for resumption of political activities.

Rejecting reports in sections of the media, the NC said that no deal was being worked out with the Centre to secure release of its leadership.

Terming the reports "baseless", the NC said in a statement that both its patron Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, as well as other detained leaders, would never leave Kashmir.

"The party would like to place on record that no such deal has been offered nor would any deal ever be acceptable," the statement said

It said that there was no question of any of the party leader "going into exile or leaving the country".

"All those detained in the first week of August 2019 should be released unconditionally and allowed to resume normal activities," the statement said.

The Abdullahs were among a host of politicians detained on August 5 last year when the Centre announced abrogation of the state's special status under Article 370 of the Constitution and its bifurcation into union territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

The senior Abdullah was later slapped with the stringent Public Safety Act on September 17.