- Jammu and Kashmir's Omar Abdullah said PoK people would have sought reunification if statehood remained
- Abdullah praised ancestors who fought Pakistani raiders in 1947 to defend Kashmir before Indian Army arrival
- He expressed sorrow over casualties and arrests of PoK residents demanding democratic rights
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said the people of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) would have risen to merge with Jammu and Kashmir if the Centre had not abrogated J&K's special status and stripped the region of its statehood.
Speaking at the Independence Day function in Srinagar, Abdullah said the situation in PoK has vindicated the decision of the people of Kashmir who fought against invading tribal raiders from Pakistan in 1947 and chose to become part of India.
Abdullah said he was pained by the situation in PoK, where dozens of people were killed and scores injured and jailed for demanding their democratic rights.
He paid homage to his grandfather and Jammu and Kashmir's first Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, who had led the people of Kashmir to fight against Pakistani raiders in 1947 and defend their homeland even before the Indian Army arrived in Kashmir.
"When I see the situation across the border, I realise that our ancestors who said 'hamlavar khabardar, hum Kashmiri hain tayyar' (attackers beware, we Kashmiris are prepared) were right," he said.
"I am pained to see the situation in PoK. I'm sure that today the people of PoK would have risen for their reintegration into Jammu and Kashmir, if J&K's statehood and special status had not been scrapped in 2019," Abdullah said.
"We have kept seats vacant in the Assembly for the other side in the hope that someday these will be filled," he added.
The BJP hit back at Abdullah's remarks calling them "irresponsible".
"It's an irresponsible statement from the chief minister. He is indulging in politics on this national day when we should celebrate our flag. He should have used this occasion to talk about his performance and future plans, but unfortunately he used it for politics," said Sunil Sharma, BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in J&K Assembly.
Omar Abdullah reiterated that his government is committed to fight for the restoration of statehood and other constitutional guarantees to Jammu and Kashmir, which were revoked in August 2019.
"Our government is committed to struggle for the restoration of statehood and constitutional guarantees, and to put Jammu and Kashmir on the path of development. We will work to fulfil these goals," Abdullah said in his Independence Day speech.
