We don't expect Centre to restore Article 370: Omar Abdullah

Moments after Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad that Article 370 will be not be restored in Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah responded saying he doesn’t  expect the Centre to do it and that he would place his trust on the Supreme Court.

A day after Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti said she and  her party would continue to strive for the restoration of the special status in Jammu and Kashmir, Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Saturday Article 370 was abrogated as per the Constitution and that it will not be restored.

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Responding to his statement, Abdullah said, “Dear Ravi Shankar Prasad ji, we don’t expect you to restore anything but unless you are suggesting the Supreme Court has surrendered its independence & takes dictation from you please don’t presume to know what the Hon judges will decide.”

Dear Ravi Shankar Prasad ji, we don’t expect you to restore anything but unless you are suggesting the Supreme Court has surrendered its independence & takes dictation from you please don’t presume to know what the Hon judges will decide. https://t.co/s8rD3Us6JU

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 25, 2020

Several petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the revocation of Article 370 by the Centre. Most of the petitions are from political outfits from Jammu and Kashmir, including the National Conference.

Leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, who have been released after being kept in detention for over a year in the wake of the abrogation of Article 370, have called for the restoration of the special status.

Interacting with mediapersons for the first time after she was released on October 14, Mehbooba said she would raise the Indian flag only when the flag of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state also is allowed to be raised. She also said that she will not take part in any elections till Article 370 is restored.  

Related News: Will raise India flag only with ‘flag of Kashmir’: Mehbooba Mufti

Prasad said that her statement was “downright denunciation” of the tricolour.

Mehbooba, along with other local leaders including Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference and Sajjad Lone, have formed the ‘People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration’ to fight for Article 370’s restoration.