SRINAGAR: National Conference president and MP Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday demanded an end to President's rule in Jammu and Kashmir and holding of fresh Assembly elections.
"Governor's rule is an autocratic rule and there is no substitution to a popular, elected government. The governor and the President's rule in the state must come to an end. There should be elections and people must choose their representatives, who can work," Abdullah told reporters after two disgruntled PDP leaders, Pir Mohammad Hussain and Syed Basharat Bukhari, joined the party on Wednesday.
Abdullah said troops should have fired water cannons instead of bullets on protesters in Pulwama, where seven civilians were killed on Saturday.
"National Conference has been impressing on the incumbent administration to hold elections as soon as possible. We believe that an elected government will be able to deliver in a better way," Abdullah said.
On the grand alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the former J&K chief minister said the alliance was working and the states would hold a key in alliance formation in the elections. "In some places there will be a stronger alliance and some places will have a mixed alliance, but states will be the most important factor".
On the recent civilian killings in Pulwama, Abdullah said, "It is unfortunate to see civilian killings become the norm. The security forces should have used less lethal weapons to quell the protests".
"The troops should have used water cannons or tear gas instead of live ammunition to disperse protesters in Pulwama," he said.
The killings caused massive outrage across the Valley and Kashmir observed shutdown for two days and authorities had to impose curfew in parts of Srinagar on Monday to foil a separatist march to the Army headquarters in Srinagar.
"The troops should have fired water cannons or tear gas shells instead of bullets. People, who died, cannot come back. We hope the Army and police will not carry out such operations in future," Abdullah said. He said violence would beget violence and the propensity of the situation in Kashmir calls for a reconciliation and rapprochement.