SRINAGAR: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Saturday announced his party would boycott the Assembly and parliamentary elections, if the Centre does not safeguard Article 35A that grants special privileges to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
"You can bring in whoever you want in power in the state, but the NC won't be a part of elections till the central government clears its stand on Article 35-A," Abdullah told in his address to party workers on the 36th death anniversary of party founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.
"If the central government doesn't stand up for our rights enshrined in the Constitution and fails to protect Article 35 A in the Supreme Court, then we will not participate in the general and assembly elections."
The NC has already announced that it would not participate in the municipal and panchayat polls scheduled in October-December.
Maintaining that Article 35A is the State's identity and any attack on it will be direct attack on Kashmiris, he said his party is committed to do everything possible to protect it. "We are not scared of election. But, we want justice be done first. On one hand, you talk of elections and on other, you are talk of scrapping Article 35A, Article 370. How can we go to people and seek votes for elections?"
Abdullah took a swipe at National Security Advisor Ajit Doval for his statement that J&K's separate constitution is an aberration. "I will like to tell him from this graveyard today that if the Constitution of J&K is not right, then the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India is also null and void."
The slogans of 'Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat and Jamhooriyat' are all bogus, he asserted. "If you really want Kashmir and its people, then stop attacking our special status."
Abdullah said an atmosphere of fear and hatred is being created in the country. "Today, the Muslims, Dalits, SC and ST are all under threat. This is going to be disastrous for the country," he warned, adding that there would be no India left if the division on religious lines continued. "There will be no Hindu or Muslim because the right-wing groups will destroy India."