"Good Thing, But...": Omar Abdullah On Banned Group Members Fighting J&K Polls

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Friday said it is a "good thing" that Jamaat-e-Islami leaders are participating in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir elections but fired a salvo at the banned group. While welcoming their participation into active politics, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir said that they would have to explain to the people of the union territory "why so much blood was in their hands".

"It's a good thing they are participating. Everyone should participate but the question would be asked why the region suffered for almost 30-40 years and what was achieved by their actions," Omar Abdullah told NDTV in an exclusive interview.

The National Conference never backed out from participating in elections or being part of the democratic process, he said.

"We suffered because we always spoke about having a relationship with India we never spoke that the issue of Jammu and Kashmir is beyond the Indian constitution. We believe in what (former PM Atal Bihari) Vajpayee Ji used to say - insaniyat (humanity), jamhuriyat (democracy) kashmiriyat (Kashmiri culture)," he added.

He also said people who "brought so much suffering" to the people, who always said Jammu and Kashmir is "not part of India" are now willing to contest Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections.

"But the question remains what did the blood bath achieve? So many houses got destroyed, and thousands of lives were lost. Our graveyards are full because of them," Mr Abdullah said.

Although it would have been better if their ban would have been uplifted and they would have fought on their symbol, he added.

Jamaat cannot take part in the elections due to the ban imposed on it by the Union home ministry. It has not taken part in any elections after 1987.

On Article 370, J&K Elections

Speaking on the BJP's charge that people came out in more numbers and participated in elections after the abrogation of Article 370, Omar Abdullah said that the two are not connected.

"Due to fear of guns, people were not participating in elections. Otherwise, all our elections before 1990 would not have been conducted. They were all successful," he told NDTV.

"It's not right to say that only after the abrogation of Article 370 people participated in elections. The only reason now that participation has increased is because now people with separatist mindset also want to contest elections," he said.

Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated by the Narendra Modi government on August 5, 2019, and the erstwhile state was bifurcated into two UTs - Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Restoration of Article 370 and Jammu and Kashmir's statehood are among the National Conference's 12 guarantees announced in its manifesto for the upcoming polls.

Mr Abdullah also promised the people of Jammu and Kashmir that their identity and their dignity would be restored soon.

"We will restore statehood no matter what. If they do not give it with their blessing, we will go to the Supreme Court and will take it," he said.

Assembly polls are being held in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370. The polls, which are the first in 10 years, will be held in three phases from September 18 to October 1. The counting of votes will be done on October 4.

On Mehbooba Mufti's Charge

Omar Abdullah also countered the claim of People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti, who said that when they came to power with the BJP, they withdrew 12,000 cases against youngsters.

"What is she talking about? A case was filed against Sarjan Barkati (a cleric) under the PSA (Public Safety Act) by Mehbooba Mufti," he said.

Mr Abdullah also said that they would remove the PSA from the state book if they came to power.

On Ms Mufti attacking him about their poll alliance with Congress and that there was no agenda between both parties, Mr Abdullah said, "Agenda for alliance or governance alliance only after elections are won. Her former colleague Altaf Bukhari has stated that the PDP and BJP had a relationship before the elections too and it's only after the elections were over agenda for the alliance took shape. If we also get the opportunity to serve people, we will also come out with such a document," he said.

On How Kashmir Politics Is Changing 

Omar Abdullah also spoke to NDTV on how politics in Kashmir is changing every day and small parties -- which gained traction after 2019 -- are slowly withering away like former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's party (Democratic Progressive Azad Party) and Apni Party. 

"I hope he (Mr Azad) gets well soon and gets back to active politics. But as far as his party is concerned, I sympathise with them. If some of them knew such a thing was likely to happen they would have jumped the ship and landed at either Congress or our doorstep,"
he said. 

While commenting on the Apni Party, he said there is a joke in Kashmir "ek pir and chaar mir". Besides Apni Party chief Altaaf Bukhari, four Mirs are - one each from Tangmarg, Rafiabad, Pahalgam, and Sonawar.

On US Delegation Visiting Him

On meeting a delegation of US diplomats at his Gupkar residence earlier this month, Omar Abdullah said they wanted to know their viewpoint on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

"It's then when I told them if things are better, then travel advisories should be diluted," he said.

Mr Abdullah had called for a relook at travel advisories for Jammu and Kashmir to ease restrictions over visiting the union territory.

"I had done the same thing with Germany when I was the chief minister," he said.