Farooq Abdullah: Will fight for 35 A until death

Farooq Abdullah

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference (NC) Chief Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said he would fight for Article 35 A until his death.

"We are fighting for Article 35 A, we hired a good lawyer and we will try to make sure that it is not tampered with. We will not allow it to be changed. We have always fought for 35 A. I don't know why they try to raise this issue every time, they should know that it will create more problems. Till I don't go down in my grave, I will fight against them," Abdullah told ANI.

The statement came less than a week after a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the validity of Article 35 A, which disallows people from residing in Jammu and Kashmir from buying or owning immovable property in the state, settle permanently, or get state government jobs, was brought before the Supreme Court.

However, the court, on August 6, adjourned the matter for further hearing.

Abdullah, while commenting on Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama's recent statement on former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru at the Goa Institute of Management said the spiritual leader was right in saying what he said.

"Dalai Lama was right, Mahatma Gandhi indeed wanted Jinnah to be the Prime Minister, however, Jinnah denied because he knew that he could have been removed anytime as he would have become a minority Prime Minister," he opined.

Abdullah also hoped for fruitful relations between New Delhi and Islamabad under the reign of Pakistan's Prime Minister-designate Imran Khan, who will be sworn in on August 18.

"I am looking forward to a new Pakistan, a Pakistan free of terrorism and developing towards the future. I am sure New Delhi will also cooperate if Pakistan gives up terrorism," he added.

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