It's not right for democracy. If mainstream political parties wonu00e2u0080u0099t visit, then who will go, Azad said
Ghulam Nabi Azad. Pic/Twitter ANI
On Tuesday, leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, and Congress politician Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed disappointment after being stopped and sent back from the airport in Jammu and said that it was "not right for democracy."
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GN Azad on being stopped at Jammu Airport: It's not right for democracy. If mainstream political parties won’t visit, then who will go? Three former CMs J&K are already under house arrest and one former CM of J&K not being allowed to enter the state, it is a sign of intolerance. pic.twitter.com/QKHL8y56VY
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2019
While speaking to news agency ANI, Azad said that since the last 10 days, he tried to visit Jammu and Kashmir on two occasions. First, he tried to go to Kashmir and the second time to Jammu, but he was not allowed to come out of the airport. "This is not right for democracy. If even the mainstream political parties don't visit then who will, I am very disappointed," Azad said.
Earlier in the day, Azad was stopped at the Jammu airport while he was on his way to attend a meeting to be held in the headquarters of the District Congress Committee in Jammu. The Congress leader was also stopped from entering the Kashmir on August 8, 2019, after reaching the Srinagar airport from the national capital.
The opposition of the Rajya Sabha also blamed the government for not allowing the local leaders and especially the former Chief Ministers to meet the people of the area. Azad said that it is definitely a sign of intolerance when three former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir are already under house arrest and another one is not being allowed to enter the state. He termed all of these incidences as a sign of intolerance.
Also Read: Raj Thackeray hails government's decision to scrap Article 370 as 'Exceptional'
A day before, Ghulam Nabi Azad had demanded the reversal of the "wrong" decisions taken by the Centre on Jammu and Kashmir and release of all the detained political leaders across the state. While speaking to ANI, Azad said that the wrong decision of Article 370 taken by the government which has also been proved wrong as nobody in the state is happy, should be reversed.
On August 5, 2019, the Narendra Modi-led government passed the Jammu and Kashmir (Reorganisation) Bill 2019 with 370 members of parliaments (MPs) voting in favour and 70 against it. The revoking of Article 370 stripped the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories. Thereby making Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as two new union territories with J&K having a legislature and while Ladakh will be without legislature.
Also Read: Ghulam Nabi Azad, KC Venugopal rushing to Bengaluru amid reports of rift between Congress
With inputs from ANI
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