On farmers, SC flagged no session, let it hear us on J&Ok: Omar Abdullah

FORMER CHIEF Minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and vice-president of J&Ok National Conference Omar Abdullah Friday stated the Supreme Court wants to instantly step in to listen to and resolve the petitions difficult the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A on the traces of its latest intervention on the farm legal guidelines.
“It is not like the Supreme Court is not working at all. We have seen the Supreme Court take cognizance of what is happening with the farmer protests and step into those. If the farmer protests can invite the attention of the Supreme Court and their observations can include words that ‘this did not seem to include any consultation’ … then there were no consultations with J&K before what happened on 5th of August, 2019. By that same yardstick of consultation, then the Supreme Court needs to step in with what happened in J&K and start hearing us out and let the weight of our arguments make up their minds,” stated Abdullah throughout the Idea Exchange programme at The Indian Express (detailed transcript to be printed Monday).
A bench headed by then Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had issued notices on August 29, 2019, on the petitions regarding J&Ok and referred it to a five-judge bench chaired by Justice NV Ramana. The five-judge bench took up the issues on October 1, 2019, however some raised the purpose that these needs to be referred to a seven-judge bench. This prayer was rejected on March 2, 2020. But because of Covid-19 and the next nationwide lockdown, listening to of just about each main case involving constitutional questions has remained pending.
Omar Abdullah, nonetheless, stated he should belief the Supreme Court when it made the statement that it might flip again the clock relating to adjustments made to the regulation pertaining to J&Ok, however stated he feels that it’s going to attain a degree the place it is going to be unimaginable to undo a number of the adjustments.

“The time will end up being of the essence. You cannot have indefinite period of domicile being changed or land laws having been affected or cadre of J&K administrative services and police officers being changed or forest services officers being changed and similar changes being put into place and then turn around and say all this can be undone …. because somebody will say so much water has flown in the Jhelum that we will now have to accept this as the new reality… which is not what we are willing to accept,” stated Abdullah.
While commenting on the shortage of 4G connectivity in majority of J&Ok’s districts, the detentions of political leaders like PDP chief Naeem Akhtar and journey restrictions on the mainstream leaders, Abdullah stated, “Which fundamental rights do we have today? None. You do not enjoy the right to free speech. You do not enjoy the right to free movement… and for the BJP, this is normal. I guess this is the Jammu and Kashmir that was carved out and they are telling us it is normal and learn to live with it… which, I am sorry, I am not willing to do.”