Sajad Lone Requests Clarification from National Conference Following Kharge's Article 370 Comments

Sajad Lone, leader of the Peoples Conference, has called for an explanation from the National Conference (NC) following Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's statement. Kharge mentioned that Congress never advocated for the reinstatement of Article 370. Lone questioned on X if the people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve a clarification from the NC regarding this issue.

Referring to a recent resolution by the Jammu and Kashmir assembly, Lone highlighted differing interpretations by NC and Congress. The resolution urged the Centre to devise a mechanism for restoring the region's special status and engage in dialogue with elected representatives. Lone remarked, "Seems we all will have to learn English from the basics. Different interpretations for three sentences in the alleged resolution brought by NC."

Resolution Controversy

Lone criticised the NC for not clearly stating their stance on Article 370 or other related issues in plain language. He questioned why they needed to explain three sentences if they were serious about these matters. "Was there a dearth of paper to print the resolution on, or death of will and courage or the choice of words were pre-scripted and authored in Delhi," he asked.

The Handwara MLA expressed that while Congress claims the resolution wasn't about Article 370, NC insists it was about Article 370 and more. He accused NC of misleading people for decades, saying, "Either only NC people know their English well or they are lying through their teeth, which they are adept at for the last 7 decades."

Political Dynamics

Lone also criticised NC's past statements about voting for others leading to resolutions supporting events from August 5, 2019. He questioned why NC hasn't brought a clear resolution condemning those events in upcoming sessions. "NC used to say that if you vote for others they along with BJP will bring a resolution endorsing the events of 5 August 2019," he said.

He further questioned the use of "special status" in political discourse, noting its absence in constitutional terms. "And this word special status. Is it present anywhere in the constitution? Constitutionality it means absolutely nothing," he added.

Allegations Against BJP and NC

Lone accused both BJP and NC of being in a fixed political arrangement. He commented on BJP's predictable reaction, which he believed was aimed at putting Congress under pressure during Maharashtra elections. "The reaction of BJP was all so expected, putting Congress in the dock of in the context of elections in Maharashtra," he stated.

Lone concluded by expressing doubt over Congress's understanding of these political dynamics, suggesting they might never grasp it fully. "We have understood it. When will Congress understand it? Perhaps never," he remarked.