Maiden interview of Sajad Lone since abrogation of Article 370

Srinagar, Sep 23 (KNS): In his first interview since the abrogation of the special status of Jammu & Kashmir and his release from detention, Sajad Lone, President, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference, and former Cabinet Minister of erstwhile state of J&K, speaks about a range of issues from the BJP government’s 5 August 2019 decision to revoke Articles 370, 35A and bifurcating J&K state into two union territories, his days as a detainee, the significance of the Gupkar Declaration, the future of mainstream politics in J&K, the current face of governance in J&K and much more:

On August 5 - If 1947 marked the transition of the Kashmiri from ruled to the ruler, August 5 relegated it back to the ruled entity, in the ruler- ruled equation.

on future of mainstream - I feel a restructured mainstream will evolve and reinvent to brand itself as a face of Kashmir in Kashmir instead of face of Delhi in Kashmir.

On Gupkar - we will not allow our differences to facilitate non Kashmiris coming to rule us, to slander us, to humiliate our people.

On the diplomatic fallout of August 5 decisions, the department of external affairs has almost been relegated to the department of Kashmir affairs.

on why people did not come out to protest - People who rushed lakhs of troops and converted the whole city into an armed garrison are now taunting unarmed civilians that they didn’t come out to fight.

Stay tuned for full interview in Thursday Bulletin of Kashmir News Service (KNS) 

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