Srinagar: Kashmir’s mainstream political parties this noon expressed their disappointment after the Supreme Court upheld abrogation of Article 370 which granted special status to Jammu  and Kashmir.

Former Chief Minister and National Conference Vice-President Omar Abdullah said the “struggle” will continue and they are prepared for the “long haul.” “Disappointed but not disheartened. The struggle will continue. It took the BJP decades to reach here. We are also prepared for the long haul. #WeShallOvercome #Article370,” Omar said in a post on X.

Another former Chief Minister and Democratic Progressive Azad Party chief Ghulam Nabi Azad said people of J&K were not happy with the verdict. “People of J&K were hopeful … The SC bench was good. …It was a mistake to abrogate Article 370 in August 2019. It was done in a hurry. ..J&K political parties should have been also asked…. The people of Jammu and Kashmir are disappointed with this judgement,” Azad told reporters.

Peoples Conference head Sajad Lone said Article 370 may have been legally obliterated but will always remain a “part of our political aspirations.” The Supreme Court verdict on Article 370 is disappointing. Justice yet again eludes the people of J&K.

“In the case of Statehood, the Supreme Court sidestepped even commenting on it, thus protecting the entire country from any future misuse, by citing precedence. Yet the same misuse was subtly endorsed in J&K. Let us hope at a future date Justice wakes up from its slumber of pretence,” Lone said in a post on X.