National Conference on Saturday said the unconstitutional dismissal and detention of Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah in 1953 marked New Delhi’s backtracking on commitments with J&K, saying the widespread alienation in J&K was the fallout of undemocratic measures taken that year.
In a statement, Additional General Secretary, Sheikh Mustafa Kamal said the contemporary scene in J&K was no different from that of 1953.
“Now it is the third generation since 1953, tasting the betrayal. Arbitrary removal of Sheikh sahib, a duly elected prime minister of the state in 1953 marked the erosion of mutual faith underlying the accession of the state with Union of India,” Kamla said.
He said New Delhi has hammered down the mutual faith and trust between it and Srinagar to the lowest by “chopping the state into two halves.” “There can be no complete redemption unless J&K’s honor is restored. The measures undertaken by New Delhi unilaterally and unconstitutionally have opened old sores. Far from winning hearts and minds of people of J&K, it has made the present generation taste the same betrayal. Unfortunately the situation is no different than what was in 1953,” he said.