00:00Elections in Jammu and Kashmir after 10 years are being held.
00:05Today, in the last phase, there are polls in 40 constituencies.
00:09The politics of Kashmir, the elections in Kashmir,
00:12to talk about this, we have with us
00:16the President and former Chief Minister of the National Conference, Farooq Abdullah.
00:20Mr. Farooq, thank you for speaking to us.
00:23The elections in Jammu and Kashmir after 10 years are being held.
00:28So, in which direction is Jammu and Kashmir going?
00:32First of all, we want it to go in the right direction.
00:36So that BJP and RSS lose here.
00:40And people breathe a sigh of hope again.
00:46So that the government of the left-wing government
00:52ends.
00:56And the government of the people should come.
00:58So that we can remove the problems of the people.
01:01So that we can end the pressure here.
01:06So that people can breathe a sigh of relief again.
01:10We hope that people will keep them away from this.
01:17With strength.
01:19The elections in Jammu and Kashmir are being held as a Union Territory.
01:24Are you saddened by this?
01:28I am very saddened.
01:30I have been sad since 5th August.
01:33When they snatched everything from us.
01:36They tried to destroy our identity.
01:40I have never, since India became independent,
01:45I have never seen that a state is made a Union Territory.
01:50I have seen that Union Territory has become a state.
01:54Look at Jharkhand.
01:58It has become a state.
02:00Look everywhere.
02:03I think they have taken revenge from us.
02:07Because we are a Muslim majority state.
02:09They wanted to take revenge.
02:11We have seen their attitude in Gujarat.
02:15How they killed more than 3000 Muslims.
02:23We have seen the condition of UP.
02:25How the houses of Muslims were bulldozed.
02:30Schools and mosques.
02:32We ask Allah to give us relief from this.
02:40In your last statement you said that
02:44Article 370, Special Provisions, Constitution of India
02:49can take 100 years.
02:52Look, I am surprised.
02:56Wasn't Schedule Caste Reservation for 25 years?
03:01It is still going on.
03:04It will go on.
03:06What was their need?
03:08Because from the beginning,
03:11since we got this article,
03:14the attitude of the Sangh was that this should not happen.
03:19They did not know that it was necessary for this state.
03:25For this state, Maharaja Hari Singh Ji,
03:28in 1927, when India was not in Pakistan,
03:33because this was a poor state,
03:36and Punjab was rich,
03:38educated,
03:40we did not have educated people,
03:42that they will take our land,
03:44take our jobs.
03:46So for that protection,
03:48they brought the law that
03:50Dogra will be finished.
03:52The language will be finished.
03:54They continued that in Article 370.
03:59Doctor, when Article 370 was abrogated,
04:04you met the Prime Minister two days before that.
04:07When you came back,
04:09when Article 370 was abrogated,
04:12and you were watching live,
04:15what was your reaction?
04:17Were you in a shock?
04:19There was no shock.
04:21I was just shaken up that
04:23when we met the Prime Minister,
04:25he was nothing like this.
04:28When I asked him,
04:30that so many troops are going,
04:32do you want to fight in Kashmir?
04:36He did not answer.
04:39And this was the situation,
04:41that the viziers who were sitting comfortably in the hotel,
04:45they were forced out.
04:47They were made to sit in the cars.
04:49They closed the Amrit Yatra.
04:51They said that they have found a gun there.
04:53All lies.
04:55What role did the then Governor,
04:58Satyapal Malik play in all this?
05:00He himself regrets it.
05:02Not me, I am telling you.
05:04When he gave an interview
05:06to Kapil Sibalji,
05:09and he asked him questions,
05:11he said he didn't know that he couldn't do this.
05:14They didn't tell him.
05:17That's totally it.
05:19He was unaware of what his rights were.
05:22It could not be done without
05:24assembly being in session.
05:26That is why I think they planned all those things,
05:29the Mahbubaji's dismissal and all these things they did.
05:33And then suddenly Satyapal Malik saying
05:37that he didn't get the,
05:39because the fax machine was not working
05:41and therefore that we were able to form a government.
05:44All made up.
05:46All made up.
05:48So it was a pre-planned, it was already…
05:50All planned by them.
05:52They just wanted that majority in the parliament.
05:57Do you fear that if BJP comes to power,
06:00they'll make more laws and make…
06:02I think they will change the demography of the state.
06:06That's what they intend to do.
06:09That's why they want to bring people from outside
06:12to settle here.
06:14So that the Muslim majority state disappears.
06:19They live in cuckoo world.
06:21It's never going to happen.
06:23And in this case, how important is ANSI Congress
06:26government for Jammu and Kashmir,
06:28for the people of Jammu and Kashmir?
06:29It's very important.
06:30Very important.
06:32If people want that their rights should be returned,
06:36if people want that justice must return to the state
06:41and Jammu and Kashmir must flourish again,
06:45rise to the heights that Ulam Nabi Azad Sahib
06:49showed in the Rajya Sabha,
06:51when he compared the two states
06:54and gave figures,
06:56set figures which are still in the parliament
07:00for showing that Jammu and Kashmir is much higher.
07:03We are 370.
07:06We are 35A.
07:09He showed that we are much higher.
07:12And that is what hit them, I'm sure.
07:15Prime Minister and they were all listening.
07:18They thought we have to bring the state down.
07:21And they tried.
07:23In these years, you see what they have done to us.
07:26In these 10 years.
07:28Do you feel there is a design between
07:31the release of Engineer Rashid from jail
07:34and Jamaat fielding its members in the assembly?
07:39You see, let me tell you.
07:41First, he is not an engineer.
07:44He is a mate.
07:46I don't know how he has been declared as an engineer.
07:49When you speak to him, ask him.
07:52Where did he get the degree from?
07:55Which engineering colleges did he go to?
07:58It's all planned.
08:00Why did they leave him only from the jail
08:03till 2nd of October?
08:05Tomorrow he will be back in jail
08:07to divide our votes.
08:09I'm not against Jamaat coming out
08:12and taking part in election
08:14because they were always in favor of Pakistan.
08:17I'm ashamed that those people
08:20who fought all these years
08:23thinking that Kashmir should become part of Pakistan
08:26now, thank God, they have returned to the main field.
08:30And do you think their participation in polls
08:33will somehow affect the National Conference
08:36and Congress alliance?
08:38I don't think so.
08:40They have their own areas of influence.
08:43The question is how much those people will realize
08:46what they are doing is wrong.
08:48Because there is a section of this Jamaat
08:50who don't agree with them.
08:52Who openly said that they are not part of us.
08:55So, there is a battle between the
08:58two wings of Jamaat.
09:01Today is the last day of polling, the third phase.
09:05So, which way do you see the wind blowing?
09:08I hope it blows in favor of National Conference and Congress.
09:12Rest is up to people.
09:15It's for people to decide
09:18what do they want.
09:20It's for them.
09:21Doctor, in your over 40 years career
09:24you have seen many ups and downs in Kashmir's political landscape.
09:27What is the most disturbing thing apart from this article 370?
09:31That still haunts you.
09:33Lot of things haunt me.
09:36I've had very checkered history.
09:41Even when I became Chief Minister.
09:44I was thrown out of power
09:47by the government those who were in Delhi at that time.
09:51I was not a Khalistani
09:54or a Pakistani or an American agent.
09:56But they tried to show this to the world
09:59and to the people of India.
10:02I've seen that also.
10:05I've seen later also.
10:09Are mainstream leaders, especially those in Kashmir
10:13being looked upon with suspicion by New Delhi?
10:16You see, as I told the Prime Minister
10:19when we met, when he called the leaders
10:22in that time of COVID
10:25and I had just recovered from COVID
10:28I didn't even have the strength to go.
10:31But they said, no please come
10:34without you it will not work.
10:36I told him frankly.
10:39And I still believe
10:42the factor that is missing between us and Delhi
10:45is trust.
10:48They don't trust us or we don't trust them.
10:51That is unfortunate.
10:54From day one, from my father's time
10:57this trust factor has been missing.
11:00And I don't know for how long
11:03this trust factor will stay.
11:33Dr. Prime Minister Modi says
11:36with Article 370 abrogation
11:39Kashmir issue is over now. Do you agree?
11:42Kashmir issue will never be over.
11:45Kashmir issue will never be over.
11:48Kashmir issue will never be over.
11:51Kashmir issue will never be over.
11:54Kashmir issue will never be over.
11:57Kashmir issue will never be over.
12:00Kashmir issue will never be over.
12:03Kashmir issue is still
12:06on the books of United Nations.
12:09Let's be frank about it.
12:12It is there.
12:15Tell me
12:18why did they bring people from embassies here
12:21to see the election?
12:24Why? Do they take those members
12:27to recent elections that are going on in Haryana?
12:30Or when they happen in Maharashtra?
12:33Will they take them there?
12:36In their hearts of hearts they are not sure
12:39whether we are part of them or we are not part of them.
12:42That is the problem.
12:45That is where their problem lies.
12:48Do you believe that Kashmir is still a flashpoint
12:51between the three nuclear powers?
12:55They have captured nearly 2,000 km of our land
12:58and are advancing.
13:01Pakistan is on our border.
13:04Terrorism is coming from there
13:07because they are not accepting
13:10that we are part of India.
13:13They say it is still disputed.
13:16Where do you see Kashmir 10 years from now?
13:19I think if they do not mend relations
13:22with both nations,
13:25this is going to be a flashpoint for the future.
13:28I regret that.
13:31Parliamentary elections were held.
13:34Assembly elections are concluding today.
13:37But you did not participate in these polls.
13:40Are you considering retirement from active politics?
13:43Let me tell you what my father told me once
13:46when I told him.
13:50He said once you get into this river,
13:53you will either flow with the current
13:56or if you have the strength,
13:59you will be able to fight the current.
14:02But you can never get out of it.
14:05So how has your journey been from a doctor to a politician
14:08over these decades?
14:11It has been up and down.
14:14Nothing is stable.
14:17It has been a terrible journey.
14:20I wish I had listened to my father
14:23and not joined politics at that time.
14:26It was meant for me
14:29to go through these turbulent times in life.
14:32Sir, your grandson,
14:35Zahid, delivered a very beautiful speech
14:38at Gandharwal.
14:41Can we expect any of your grandsons joining politics soon?
14:44That I can't tell.
14:47I don't have Aladdin's lamp
14:50that I can rub it and ask the genie
14:53whether it's going to happen.
14:56What is in store? I don't know.
14:59I wanted my son not to join politics
15:02as my father asked me.
15:05But it happened.
15:08But do you see a reflection of Sherry Kashmir
15:11in your grandchildren?
15:14I don't know. Sherry Kashmir was far taller
15:17and
15:20I don't think anybody of us can match him.
15:23No question.
15:26Doctor,
15:29will JNK, Jammu and Kashmir get a new government
15:32an alliance government
15:35of National Conference and Congress?
15:38I pray so.
15:41I hope it does happen.
15:44Because there is no question of aligning with BJP.
15:47No question.
15:50Those who are enemies of people
15:53who have shown no love
15:56but accept only hatred,
15:59hatred and hatred,
16:02I don't think National Conference and Congress alliance
16:06My last question, Doctor,
16:09what are the challenges for the next government
16:12that takes place in Jammu and Kashmir?
16:15Tremendous challenges.
16:18First of all, restoration of the statehood.
16:21Powers to be returned to the state,
16:24not to the governor.
16:27He is just a constitutional head.
16:30You can't have a government of people
16:33and governor holding all the powers
16:36and the government of people has no power.
16:39That's a big challenge, major challenge.
16:42Then winning the hearts of people
16:45who have had all sorts of tragedies in these years.
16:48The unemployment,
16:51major factor.
16:54The inflation.
16:57Tremendous thing. Development.
17:00Some areas need immediate help.
17:03So many things.
17:06And we need a liberal government in Delhi
17:09that will look into these things.
17:12And just not promise,
17:15only promise and promise and nothing else.
17:18That is important.
17:21Thank you so much, Doctor, for speaking to us.
17:24God bless you.
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