Hold immediate talks with people to address aspirations: Farooq to centre

Srinagar: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday urged the central government to hold immediate talks with the people of Ladakh to address their aspirations.

Abdullah, a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, warned that Ladakh is a sensitive place and that the void created after the protests can be filled by anyone, adding that this is why the BJP government at the Centre must act as quickly as possible.

The NC leader supported activist Sonam Wangchuk, stating that the latter had nothing to do with the protests and that the youngsters of Ladakh were fed up with his Gandhian ways of protest.


"I want to tell the government that it (Ladakh) is a border state. China is lurking; they have occupied land. It is time to resolve it quickly. The government should hold talks and resolve it," Abdullah told media persons at the NC headquarters in Srinagar. "The whole world knows how much land is with China. How long can we keep lying? It is a sensitive area. China has laid claims on Ladakh since the times of Jawahar Lal Nehru."

The NC leader said that the Centre's further use of force in Ladakh would only complicate the issue. "The vessel of patience of the people of Ladakh has broken."