Examiner Bureau | Srinagar:
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday questioned the “sudden” action being taken against Rohingyas, saying they were being “targeted for no reason”, while maintaining that people who entered India from Bangladesh without permission could not be allowed to stay in the country illegally.
“People who have come from Bangladesh without permission, it is a different matter for them. But the Rohingyas, who are being targeted for no reason, when they were deported from their country, we gave them a place here. We allowed them to live here until their country’s situation improves,” Omar told reporters in Srinagar.
Expressing surprise over the recent action against Rohingyas, the Chief Minister said the matter was not under the control of the J&K Government.
“I find it strange to take action against them suddenly. But we do not have it in our hands. This is the Government of India,” he said.
Omar also clarified that the J&K Police was not under the control of the Union Territory Government in this matter.
On the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Omar said the J&K Government would not implement such a measure, asserting that any legislation on the issue should be debated and enacted by Parliament.
“If you have the courage, bring a law in Parliament. Debate it in Parliament. See if it passes in Parliament or not,” he said.
On the INDIA bloc’s campaign over alleged deletions from electoral rolls, Omar said the issue would continue to be raised. He pointed out that the Supreme Court had also sought responses from the Election Commission and the Government of India regarding the allegations.
On mobile connectivity, the Chief Minister said the J&K Cabinet had decided to allot land to BSNL in areas that continue to lack mobile coverage, facilitating the installation of telecommunications towers.
He said the government was also working to reduce repeated digging of roads by different departments for laying infrastructure related to water, electricity and telecommunications.
“Where the road will be built, it would be better to use the duct so that there will be no need to dig the road again and again,” Omar said.
The proposed ducting system, he added, would help coordinate the laying of underground utilities and reduce repeated damage to newly constructed roads.
