Srinagar- After mobile internet was shut in some areas of Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday that the authorities should tell people the reasons for such actions.
Talking to reporters in Bandipora, Abdullah, a former chief minister, said he was not aware of the reason for the mobile internet shutdown.
“It would be good to let the people in those areas know the reasons behind it. People are not fools…they would not protest on such a thing, but they want to understand the reason behind stopping the services,” he said.
Telecom service providers were directed to suspend mobile data within three km radius of Wampora and Hunipora areas of Pulwama from 7 pm on November 5 to 7 pm on November 8, officials said.
The suspension order mentioned the possibility of mobile data services being misused by anti-national elements, which may cause deterioration in public order.
To a question on youngsters currently in detention in various jails, Abdullah said those who do not face serious allegations should be released soon.
“We have raised this before as well, in Parliament and at the all-party meeting with the prime minister on Kashmir (in June 2021)…that whoever has been arrested, especially after 2019, should be released. Those who do not face serious allegations, they should be released,” he said.
Earlier, addressing a party workers’ convention, Abdullah said only the NC will protect the rights of people and the unique identity of Jammu and Kashmir.
“The other parties only talk about development. Any government is bound to work on a developmental front. We also talk about development, but at the same time we also talk about protecting our unique identity.
“We have repeatedly said that there is no trade-off between development and our rights. Both have to go hand in hand. Our right to live with dignity is as important as our right to have basic facilities. It is only us who are working on multiple fronts,” he said.
He also warned people against “opportunistic and conspiratorial elements”.
“In 2019, they made a deal with J-K and if needed in the future, these elements will not refrain from doing your deal again because it is their nature and habit. These people prefer personal interests over people’s interests. They just want a bungalow, a car and security for themselves,” he said.
“These are the same people who were walking around openly in 2019 while we were under detention in prisons and were not allowed to go out. These are the people who live in five-star hotels,” he added.
He said people should distinguish between those whose security has been reduced and those whose security increased after August 5, 2019, when the Centre abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
“Today, security is not given on the basis of threat, but on the basis of how strong your relationship is with BJP,” he alleged.
He reiterated the commitment to continue the struggle for the restoration of Article 370.
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