Sun Sep 15 10:47:35 UTC 2024: ## Kashmir’s Trust Deficit: Farooq Abdullah Blames Delhi’s Domination in Pre-Poll Interview
**Srinagar:** Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference President, Farooq Abdullah, has accused the Indian government of failing to build trust with the people of Kashmir in an exclusive interview with NDTV. This comes ahead of the first elections in the region since the revocation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories.
“Delhi has never trusted whoever is in power here, they have always tried to dominate, not thinking of the aspirations of the people, but aspirations of the leaders in Delhi,” said Abdullah, blaming this “trust deficit” for the state’s suffering. He recalled his father’s advice to him when he entered politics, saying, “All conspiracies are manufactured in Delhi and there should be somebody who can tell you what is coming around.”
Abdullah, who has witnessed the political landscape of Kashmir for over seven decades, criticized the spread of misunderstandings for personal gain and lamented the lack of trust despite sacrifices made by the Kashmiri people during the 1947 conflict. He emphasized that the people of Kashmir, not the government, guided the Indian Army to Srinagar during the Pakistani invasion.
He also expressed regret over the Gupkar Alliance, formed to fight divisive forces in the region, falling apart due to “old differences”. Abdullah accused the BJP of dividing the country along religious lines, stating that the India he knew is no more. He criticized the PDP’s alliance with the BJP after the 2014 elections, stating that the National Conference had offered support to the PDP to avoid this partnership.
Regarding the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in the 1990s, Abdullah blamed then Governor Jagmohan, stating that he had warned Prime Minister V.P. Singh against his appointment.
He concluded by stating that there is still hope for the return of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. He believes that failing to do so will only prolong the turmoil and further alienate the people.
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