Srinagar, Sep 23: Awami National Conference Wednesday welcomed the decision of political and religious parties to boycott the upcoming Ladkah Hill Development Council elections.
Senior Vice President ANC, Muzafar Shah said that what Ladakhis are demanding today was already with them in the form of Article 370 and 35A. “Your land was safe, your culture was safe but you lost your identity on 5 August 2019 when BJP led government abrogated special status. Now you are seek protection of jobs and land. It’s good to see people of Ladakh get united for the cause and there is a lesson for the political parties of Jammu and Kashmir in it,” Shah told news agency KNT.
He said it is a wrong notion that Kashmir leadership did discrimination with the people of Ladakh. “Let me tell brothers and sisters of Ladakh that people from Jammu and Ladakh were always part of Kashmir leadership that were taking decisions. It was Sher-i-Kashmir who developed Ladakh as tourist resort in 1975. GM Shah in 85 granted ST status to people of Ladakh. Farooq Abdulalh granted Hill Development Council while Mufti Muhammad Sayeed strengthen it,” he said.
Shah said whatever is happening in Ladakh today is the creation of August 5 decision. “Now China and UN are there while Pakistan was already at the door,” he said adding that with the abrogation of special status, LHDC has lost significance and credibility.
