Srinagar, Aug 5 (KNS): People's Conference president Sajad Gani Lone on Wednesday termed the abrogation of Article 370 a "brutal coup" against the people of Jammu and Kashmir, saying the constitutional changes of August 5, 2019, had stripped the region of its special status and reduced it to a Union Territory.
Marking the seventh anniversary of the Centre's decision, Lone said the day symbolised the "disempowerment" of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He asserted that the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, followed by the reorganisation of the erstwhile state into a Union Territory, had taken away the constitutional safeguards that people had relied upon.
Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
The People's Conference chief said the special status enjoyed by Jammu and Kashmir was linked to commitments made at the time of the state's accession to India. He expressed hope that people across the country would eventually recognise those commitments and understand the concerns of the people of the region.
Lone also voiced hope that the people of Jammu and Kashmir would regain their political and constitutional rights in the future, saying such empowerment should come as a matter of right rather than charity.