NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has pleaded for scrapping of Articles 356 and 249 of the Constitution as far as their application in his State is concerned. Outlining the broad parameters of the autonomy which he intends for the State, Dr. Abdullah told Home TV in an interview that there were several laws created by the Center which “should not apply to Kashmir and would have to be scrapped. One of these laws, he said, was Article 356 which is not necessary for the State because it has its own Constitution. Dr. Abdullah said Article 249, which empowers the Center to make laws for the State, was not necessary and should be scrapped. However, the Chief Minister emphasized that he would ensure that at no point the rest of India feels that Kashmir wanted secession. “Remember, we have to stay with this country. We are part of this country and there is no way we will do anything that will weaken that bond. What is important is that the people of the rest of this country should not get the impression that there is any question of secession,” Dr. Abdullah said, adding that as far as accession is concerned that is final and irrevocable. Replying to another question on the issue of autonomy, Dr. Abdullah said, “the autonomy at we want will be between the 1950 situation at the time of accession and 1975 Sheikh Abdullah — Indira Gandhi accord.” He said a commission comprising Ministers of his cabinet headed by Dr. Karan Singh will formally prepare a report which will be basis of his Government’s submission to the Center. In the interview to be broadcast on Monday, Dr. Abdullah spoke at length about his intended relationship with the eye and the paramilitary forces joined in Kashmir, his future relationship with the United Front Government and his attitude to the All Party Hurriyat Conference. Speaking about the future of the Army, Dr. Abdullah said he would stand up for the Army anywhere at any time. “Is not Kashmir a part of India? Are they not the Army of the people of Kashmir,” he asked. He, however, made it clear that he would not tolerate any abuse of authority by the Army and the paramilitary forces and that he would rigidly enforce the human rights of all Kashmiri people. “We won’t interfere but there are something’s I will not allow, if a person is arrested, his family must know within 24 hours that he has been picked up. If he has not been interrogated he must be interrogated, not killed,” Dr. Abdullah said, declaring that “if any one does anything that is against the human rights of a person I will object to it.”
Dr. Abdullah said he would head the unified command of Army and paramilitary forces. “We still need to think unitedly for the defence of the State and, therefore, we have to meet the challenges of the terrorist groups. Referring to the APHC, he said he was prepared for talks within the Constitutional framework. The Hurriyat, which took part in a political process, had been defeated by people, he added. “L doesn’t think if they matter. They went to the people and said don’t vote. We went to the people to vote for us. The turnout was absolute defeat for them,” he said. About his decision to join the UF, Dr, and Abdullah said, “Furlong, we have remained away from the national scene. I feel isolation has done us harm. I want to end the isolation and I want to cement the bonds, “He also spoke about the internal devolution he intends from Srinagar for the three regions of the State. “I want to make in the State a federal structure of the three regions, that autonomy will be completed by next year this time. There will be autonomous regions of Ladakh, Jammu and the Valley.” Dr. Abdullah said adding each region will have a council of its own. He said he was now a different person from the one who resigned as Chief Minister.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 16, 1996
