Srinagar, Apr 3 (UNI) Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) President Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday said he will fight for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir if voted in the coming Lok Sabha election.

The DPAP announced on Tuesday that Azad will be contesting the Lok Sabha election from the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency.
“I will fight for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir” Azad told media persons in Srinagar on Wednesday.
He said presently the gossip which is moving around that statehood would be provided like Delhi and Pondicherry where every decision would be lying with the Lieutenant Governor, is not accepted by us.

“It is not acceptable to Ghulam Nabi Azad and every citizen of Jammu and Kashmir including Hindu, Muslim, Kashmiri, Pahari and Gujri even will not accept it”, he said adding “we want the same statehood which was in Jammu and Kashmir from times of Mughals, Sikhs and Maharaja’s regime”.

He said before the Assembly election could be held after six or eight months or after a year and that time "we will say that there is nothing in our hands. We might say we have statehood but it is a handicapped” state.

“I will use my full power, use my tongue and my influence in the parliament for the restoration of the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, " he said.

He said with the getting of statehood restored, the things connected with that which were snapped like Article 35A would automatically also be restored.

“If we could get the statehood restored, the Assembly can pass a law that no outsider can seek a job and no outsider can purchase land in Jammu and Kashmir that would restore the provisions of article 35A”, he said.

He said until Article 35A was there it was guaranteed that no outsiders can purchase land or seek government jobs in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that he will fight for the jobs in Jammu and Kashmir should be only provided to the residents of the state.

UNI QAB KK