NC buried autonomy in Indira-Sheikh accord: Cong ‘Beg Was Backroom Actor In Facilitating Pact; Sheikh Abdullah Had Come On Track By 1975’ MUDASIR YAQOOB Srinagar, June 18: Terming the Indira-Abdullah Accord of 1975 as an attestation of Jammu and Kashmir’s “ultimate accession” with the Union of India, senior Congress leader Makhan Lal Fotedar Tuesday said there was no justification for National Conference (NC) to crow over autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir. “There is no justification for National Conference to seek autonomy after the 1975 accord,” Fotedar said. After 22 years of estrangement from mainstream politics, the NC founder, late Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, assumed power in Jammu and Kashmir in 1975 following the signing of the accord. However, the National Conference has been accusing New Delhi of not implementing the accord in full. Fotedar said National Conference has a record of resorting to double standards on autonomy when in power and in opposition. “What autonomy they are talking about. Today they are making loud noises over the issue and tomorrow they will demand independence. It is the political gimmick of NC to make hue and cry and demand autonomy when out of power and as soon as it gains the chair, the party keeps mum over the issue,” Fotedar said while interacting with media persons at Congress headquarters here. He said Sheikh Abdullah had come ‘on track’ by 1975. “He opted for creation of Chief Minister’s chair rather than Prime Minister in Jammu and Kashmir. He had understood that India could have only one Prime Minister.” Fotedar said that before Indira- Sheikh Accord, he acted as a political bridge between Government of India and Kashmiri leadership under track-two diplomacy. “I had been conveying messages of Government of India and to (Afzal) Beig Sahib who used to pass them on to Sheikh Abdullah and vice-versa,” he said. He said under track-two diplomacy he held around six meetings with Beg till 27th November 1973 while the official bridge was someone else. Makhan Lal Fotedar has been a very close associate of Gandhi family, especially on matters related to Jammu and Kashmir. Terming Sheikh Abdullah as a good ruler, he said: “His heirs have not done well.” Asked to opine on the possible pre-poll alliance with NC, he said: “It is not my prerogative to comment over the issue. Party will make the call over it at a proper time.”
Posted on: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:21:31 +0000
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