As the Bharatiya Janata Party reiterated its stand on abrogating Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Monday said that the move will pave the way for azadi for people of Jammu and Kashmir. Abdullah further asked the BJP to make efforts to join the hearts and not break them.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah released the BJP manifesto 2019 for the Lok Sabha polls. The BJP sankalp patra reiterated the party would abrogate both the articles if votes to power.

While addressing an election rally, Abdullah said: "Do they think they will abrogate Article 370 and we will be quiet? They are wrong. We will fight it. I think it is Allah's will that they are trying to abrogate it. Let them do it and it will pave way for our azadi." Abdullah is contesting the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 from Srinagar constituency.

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said there would not be anyone to hoist the tricolour in Kashmir if Article 370 is abrogated.

"Let them do it, we will see. I will see who is ready to hoist their flag here. So don't do such things that break our hearts. Try joining the hearts, not breaking them," he said.

Hitting out at the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the National Conference president said, "When you do an election rally, do speak a few words of love for Jammu and Kashmir...Yes, we are a Muslim majority state and there is no doubt about that. Try as much as you want but you can't change it. You think by removing Article 35A, you will usurp our rights. Will we take this lying down? We will fight it".

He further mentioned that in 1927, Hari Singh, the then Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, had introduced the special residency laws as a safeguard for Dogras so that their population was not diluted due to the influx of population from other parts of India.

"Do you know what is Article 35A? It gives you (people of state) the right to this place. Nobody from outside can buy land here or apply for jobs. This was kept by Maharaja Hari Singh in 1927 so that the population of Dogras does not fall. It was not as much for us as much for them (Dogras). What do they want? Will they bring people from outside and settle them here to dilute our numbers?" he asked.

Meanwhile, Farooq Abdullah's son and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah took a dig at Governor Satya Pal Malik.

"Recently J&K Governor claimed there was no threat to Art 370 & 35-A and that parties like mine were only using them to drum up fear in the elections. I hope his colleagues in the BJP send him a copy of their manifesto," he tweeted.

This is to be noted that a number of public interest litigations have been filed before the Supreme Court, challenging both articles 370 and 35A.

Article 370 gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir, while Article 35A of the Indian Constitution empowers the J&K legislature to define citizens of the state and their privileges.