ashwani sharma Early Times Report UDHAMPUR, Jan 17: In an exclusive interview with Early Times, Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Chief Minister and chief of the newly-formed Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), asserted that politicians claiming to reinstate the scrapped Article 370 are deceiving the public. Azad emphasized that the controversial article, which granted special status to the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State, cannot be restored. Azad addressed the issue, stating, "If some political party comes to power at the Centre and intends to impose Article 370, then there may be some possibility, but that seems to have little chances." He pointed out that even the Congress, to which he once belonged, has not expressed any intention to re-implement Article 370. Responding to questions about the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Azad mentioned that the DPAP has not received any invitation, ruling out the possibility of his attendance. Regarding the upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Azad highlighted the suffering of the people in the absence of a popular government and stressed that, as per the Supreme Court's directions, the elections should be conducted by September this year. Addressing the recent claim by the Chief of Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), Vikar Rasool Wani, that Azad left Congress after enjoying political powers, Azad countered, stating that they (Azad and others) made Congress, contrary to Wani's assertions that Congress made them political bigwigs. As political dynamics continue to evolve in the region, Azad's comments add a perspective on the potential reinstatement of Article 370 and shed light on the current political landscape in Jammu and Kashmir. |