People who wanted J&K to join Pakistan have failed: Farooq Abdullah

Jammu: Asserting that Pakistan will never succeed in Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday said the people who wanted the region to join Pakistan have failed.

The former chief minister said India's strength is diversity in unity and "we have to strengthen brotherhood and remove hatred against each other" for peace, progress and development of the country.

Talking to reporters during his visit to the famous Ragunath market in the heart of the city, Abdullah said people have high hopes with the new government and he is hopeful that JK will return to the path of development to reach higher echelons in the coming years.

"We have to fight terrorism like we have been doing over the years. We have to face this disease and defeat it. Those who wanted us to join Pakistan have failed," Abdullah said, apparently referring to separatists in Kashmir valley.

He said JK is the crown of India and will remain so. "Pakistan will never succeed here," he said.

Abdullah said the hatred in the name of religion must be removed as it is a threat to the unity of the country.

"We have to keep diversity alive for our country, irrespective of our religion and language. We are all Indians and we should stand united otherwise there will be no India," Abdullah said.

He said Ragunath Bazaar has lost its glory after the Lt Governor stopped in 2022 the practice of 'darbar move', a bi-annual practice introduced by the Maharajas in which the government used to function six months each in Srinagar and Jammu.

"Ragunath market will shine again... Darbar move was introduced with a purpose to strengthen brotherhood and bring the two regions closer to each other. We have to revive this practice," he said, adding the NC wants the people here to progress.

He said the NC wants to improve the condition of roads and provide electricity in the smart city.

"All have hopes with this government including myself. I want JK to progress, eradication of unemployment by providing jobs to boys and girls and want to see JK to move forward," he said.

Abdullah said once the statehood is restored to JK, the local officers will be given postings at the highest level.

"The local officers have run the state over the past 75 years. This was the most progressive state in the country... JK was on the forefront in every sector but we have gone down in the past five years and we have to take it to new heights once again," he said, and referred to the statement of former leader of opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad in Parliament making a comparison between JK and Gujarat in 2019.