Srinagar, Sept 10: Former chief minister and National Conference vice president, Omar Abdullah on Tuesday claimed the NIA Court’s bail to Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) president Engineer Rashid was given only to allow him to campaign and seek votes, not to serve the people of north Kashmir.
“We knew that this would happen. It was granted not for service or parliamentary duties but merely to facilitate his campaign efforts,” Omar told reporters. “The people of Baramulla Parliamentary Constituency did not receive this bail to have their representative work effectively; they received it so that Engineer could seek votes and then return to Tihar.”
He said the people of north Kashmir will be left without a representative once again. “We will see how the voters react to this situation and what impact this decision will have on them,” he said.
When asked whether this scenario would affect the National Conference, Abdullah said he was very careful in this matter. “But it is good that Mehbooba Mufti openly said that Engineer Rashid is working on behalf of the BJP,” he added.
The former CM further said that people should ensure their votes are not divided. “As the Home Minister recently said in his speech, they will be ready to form a government with AIP, PC and other parties tomorrow,” he said.
On the derogatory remarks made by former J&K Congress chief Vikar Rasool Wani, Omar said he (Wani) is a “fool”. “His own party has issued a statement against him. While I don’t know why he is so frustrated or lacks control over his tongue, his statement did get noticed by Congress. For us, this matter ends there,” he added.
BJP’s ‘double-engine sarkar’ lacks answers for its ‘failures’ in J&K: NC
National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “double engine sarkar” has failed to deliver on its promises and that the people of the Jammu region have not seen any tangible improvements in their lives.
He said this while addressing a series of public meetings at Nagbatna, Kuntwara, Batkoot and Padder, Gulabgarh in Kishtwar, organised contesting candidate for Kishtwar and the party’s senior leader Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo, the NC said in a statement issued here.
In his address, Omar said, “The report card of the BJP’s so-called ‘double engine sarkar’ is empty as the people of Kishtwar have yet to see any tangible improvements in their daily lives. Residents are grappling with issues such as poor road conditions, high electricity tariffs, unemployment, and inflation, and they are demanding answers from the BJP which has no answers. The party instead of addressing pressing issues diverts public attention towards non-issues. However, the people of Kishtwar cannot afford to waste another decade due to the BJP’s incompetence in delivering results.”
The former chief minister added, “We are not just cautioning voters about the BJP. We present a meticulously crafted manifesto that addresses crucial issues such as unemployment, social welfare, healthcare, education, infrastructure, sanitation, urban development, industries, handicrafts, agriculture and mining. We recognise the pressing need for effective governance to help our people recover from the injustices of the past decade.”
The NC leader stressed the importance of dignity, development and identity in Kishtwar, stating, “The people of Kishtwar are adamant about having control over their resources, local job opportunities, and contracts. Only NC can ensure this.”
