Srinagar, Oct 18: Member of Parliament (MP) for Baramulla, Er Rashid on Friday severely criticised the Jammu and Kashmir’s newly elected Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, accusing him of aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to secure political gain.
The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) president claimed that the National Conference (NC), led by Omar Abdullah, had prior knowledge of the government’s move to abrogate Article 370. According to Rashid, NC’s victory in the assembly elections, where they won 42 seats, was possible due to BJP’s behind-the-scenes support.
Speaking at a press conference here, Er Rashid accused Omar of shifting his focus from the restoration of Article 370 to the issue of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. “This change in stance indicates NC and BJP are working together secretly,” he said.
Despite NC’s promises to fight for the restoration of Article 370, Omar Abdullah’s first cabinet meeting focused on passing a resolution for statehood, an issue the BJP-led central government had already committed to addressing, he added.
The MP accused Omar of deviating from the core issues facing the people of Jammu and Kashmir, such as the constitutional autonomy under Article 370. He said the push for statehood restoration is being used to divert attention from the larger demands of the people.
“Focusing on statehood when the central leadership has already promised it while ignoring the fight for Article 370 is misleading the people,” he said.
The AIP leader also questioned the CM’s demeanour after assuming office. “Given the delicate political situation, he should have been more reflective. Instead, Omar appeared to be celebrating, showing unusual excitement,” he said.
Rashid urged the government to clarify its position on key regional matters, including the status of the capital city now that the Darbar Move, a long-standing administrative tradition, has ended. According to him, this change has created a divide between the Jammu and Kashmir regions, which needs immediate attention.
