CHENNAI: Former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah won more than a few hearts on Wednesday at the ThinkEdu Conclave. Excerpts from a chat with the National Conference leader.
There are reports of possible NC alliance with either Congress or BJP in J&K. What is really happening?
There is no such talk. How can there be, until Madam (PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti) takes a decision? We don’t even know if there will be elections, so it’s too premature to talk of alliances.
You talked about religious harmony. To what extent should it be taken? Say a Hindu marries a Muslim and their parents are against it?
My son married a Hindu, and I didn’t object. That is at the higher level. At the lower level, they’ll murder the girl and the boy. It has happened in UP, in Punjab and in England, too. They are killing them because of “family honour”. That is the tragedy, and is because of the divisions of religion that has been inculcated in the minds of people. This will disappear as the younger generation learns the holiness of all religions. Then there will be no difference as they grow up. They’ll be a different lot of people.
Do you think there is any difference in the quality of education in J&K and the rest of the country?
The education system is bad everywhere... and to improve it, we have to have highly qualified teachers.
There is a perception that the people of Jammu region and the Kashmiris dislike one another.
It’s not that they dislike each other. Over the years, when the Maharaja ruled, Jammu had the upper hand and the Muslim-majority Kashmiris were uneducated. Hindus were mostly educated, and had all the jobs. After Independence, things changed. Suddenly they realised things are different, that the power is no longer in Jammu, but in Srinagar. Many wouldn’t accept it, and there’s nothing new about that. That is what has been at the upper core... at the lower level, they don’t care.
Your government had repeatedly assured Pandits that they could return, but they are still hesitant. Why do you think that is?
It is for them to decide. The last gun will not stop. Let’s be very frank. Pakistan is not going to give up. So while Pakistan is doing all this, we should have the courage to say, “This is my home, I have to live here.” I was very happy in England... But I said that is not my home. My home is here, in India... This is the feeling they should have, “Ki marna aur jeena to hume yaha hai (We want die where we were born).”