‘Lands, Jobs Are Being Taken Away’: Farooq Abdullah Amid J&K Assembly Elections

Ahead of the J&K  phase 2 elections, ‘The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference’ (JKNC), chief Farooq Abdullah takes a jibe at the abrogation of Article 370.

He said, “Tell me, these people keep talking a lot about Article 370. I ask them, Maharaja Hari Singh, whose birthday is today, made a law in 1927, at that time there was no Pakistan or India… There was Punjab, and people in Punjab were more educated. The Maharaja feared that if this continued, the wealthy might come here and take over our land, leaving our people with nothing, and our Dogri language would disappear. Then what would remain here? So, he made a law at that time… That law later became Article 370. The sweets they were distributing in 2019… look at the state of things today, lands are being taken away. A man needed a job, and they brought someone from Kerala. Couldn’t they find anyone in Jammu for that job?

You start projects here, and even for those, you bring people from outside. This is the first thing that we need to stop. This land is yours, you are its rightful owners. The jobs should go to your children, and we promise that we will provide jobs to 100,000 educated youth.”

Farooq Abdullah To Restore ‘Darbar Move’ If Voted To Power In J&K

National Conference (NC) president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, Farooq Abdullah, pledged on Thursday to reinstate the historic ‘Darbar Move’ if his party wins the ongoing state Assembly elections. Abdullah emphasized the significance of the tradition in fostering unity between the two regions of Jammu and Kashmir. “The Darbar Move served as a vital link that kept Jammu and Srinagar connected—politically, economically, and emotionally. Discontinuing it has created a rift between the regions, which we cannot afford,” he remarked.

The ‘Darbar Move’

The ‘Darbar Move’ is a 152-year-old tradition that began under Maharaja Ranbir Singh in 1872. As part of this biannual practice, government offices, including the civil secretariat, would relocate between Srinagar, the summer capital, and Jammu, the winter capital, every six months. This system enabled the government to function from Srinagar from May to October and from Jammu from November to April, ensuring a balanced administration across both regions.

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