Examiner Bureau | Jammu:
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the BJP, accusing its leaders in the Union Territory of contradicting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public commitment to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a National Conference rally at Maharaja Hari Singh Park in Jammu, Abdullah questioned why BJP leaders were criticising the NC’s campaign for the restoration of statehood despite the Prime Minister’s assurance on the issue.
“They accuse us of failing to fulfil our promises, but they should also remember their own commitments. The Prime Minister himself, during his rally in Katra, had promised the restoration of statehood, saying, ‘Yeh Modi Ka Waada Hai’ (This is Modi’s promise),” Abdullah said.
“I want to ask the BJP leaders in Jammu and Kashmir why they are trying to prove their own Prime Minister wrong. You may call me or any National Conference leader a liar, but why undermine the Prime Minister’s own commitment?” he said.
The Chief Minister said that whenever the issue of statehood is raised, the Centre’s response is that it will be restored at an “appropriate time.” He questioned what constituted an appropriate time and suggested that if restoration was linked to the BJP returning to power in Jammu and Kashmir, the party should state it openly.
“If that was the condition, it should have been conveyed to the Supreme Court as well, which had directed that statehood be restored at the earliest. The people of Jammu and Kashmir could then decide whether to elect the BJP or not,” he said, alleging that the people were being “punished” by being denied statehood.
Rejecting BJP’s claims that it was not attempting to engineer defections within the National Conference, Abdullah referred to political developments in other states and alleged that the party’s “Operation Lotus” strategy had become widely known.
The Chief Minister also alleged that the elected government was not being allowed to function effectively and questioned the purpose of holding Assembly elections if governance continued to remain under the control of the Raj Bhavan.
“What was the need to conduct elections if Jammu and Kashmir was to be administered through Raj Bhavan?” he asked.
Referring to the BJP’s criticism over the National Conference inviting Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to a recent event, Abdullah questioned the party’s position.
“The BJP’s top leadership says terrorism and separatism have ended in Jammu and Kashmir. If that is the case, why are they still describing him as a separatist? Someone is not being truthful,” he said.
Abdullah also defended the National Conference’s decision to intensify its campaign for statehood, saying the party had pursued peaceful and constitutional means for nearly 18 months without any concrete outcome despite repeated assurances.
“We even accepted the delimitation exercise, although we believed it primarily benefited the BJP and its allies. Our restraint should not be mistaken for weakness. We cannot wait indefinitely,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the purpose of Sunday’s rally was to seek the people’s support for the National Conference’s planned visit to New Delhi on July 20 to press the Centre for the restoration of statehood.
“I have come from Srinagar to Jammu to seek your permission and support. The trust you have placed in us will not be broken. We remain committed to fulfilling the promises made to the people,” Abdullah said.
