Dismissing concerns about Jammu & Kashmir becoming two Union Territories, former PDP leader Farooq Ahmed Dar says there is no harm if people benefit from it.
He cited the example of New Delhi, asserting that the national Capital has continued to develop even though its chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is frequently locked in confrontations with the Union Government.
“If people can benefit from a UT status, what's the harm?" he asked, pointing out that the state has never developed beyond being a "consumer state" since 1947.
“We were a consumer state in 1947 and are a consumer state in 2019. We were dependent on outside supply and we are dependent even now,” Dar told PTI.
He suggested that the state's lack of self reliance was because of inept leadership provided by successive state governments once Sheikh Abdullah left the scene.
Acknowledging the role of Sheikh Abdullah, who became 'Prime Minister' of Jammu & Kashmir in 1948 and went on to found the National Conference, Dar said “he was the tallest leader who led the people of Jammu and Kashmir into accepting India". "Everyone accepted it," he said.
Dar, popularly known as “Farooq Ganderbali”, resigned recently as distinct president of the Peoples Democratic Party.
He also hit out at PDP chief and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and her predecessor, National Conference's Omar Abdullah, for misguiding people of the State.
“What has been left of Article 370... What are we crying for? In the past 70 years everything was diluted,” Dar said.