Srinagar, Nov 14: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said that the party’s absence from power corridors strengthens the hands of those conspiring against the unique identity and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
He said this while addressing a one-day worker’s convention at Kunzar, Tangmarg in Gulmarg constituency. The convention was organized by In Charge constituency Gulmarg Farooq Shah, the party said in a statement.
Omar lamented the suspension of the sentence to the “culprits of the fake encounter” in Amshipora, Shopian, saying, “Every time we are reminded that our blood is cheap and has no value. The army officer who killed three youths in a fake encounter has not only been released but his sentence has also been suspended. This is nothing but a travesty of justice. New Delhi does not care about the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Criticising the “conspiratorial” elements, he asked the people to make it a point to weed them out in the elections, whenever they are held. He said a lot has changed in J&K post-2019 by denuding the region’s autonomy, flag and democratic rights. “However, the forces inimical to the region’s unique identity have not stopped in hatching conspiracies against our people and their dignity,” he said.
Terming the Central government’s claims of peace and order, construction and development, employment and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir as “mere lies and deceit”, the former chief minister said, “In 2019, when the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked, it was said that the youth would get job orders. It has been more than 4 years today and we are forced to ask where is the peace and order? Where is the progress? Where is the prosperity, in which youths got orders for government jobs, here even those who are already doing jobs are being fired? Today, our employees are being asked to prove how they got the job, otherwise, they will be fired.”
Omar asks Congress to revoke hijab ban in Karnataka
Baramulla, Nov 14: Former chief minister of J&K and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Tuesday asked Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi to work on revoking the ban on hijab (headcover) imposed by the Karnataka government.
“Why should the government interfere in this? And such orders are passed through which Muslims are targetted. When all this used to happen in Karnataka earlier, it would not surprise us because there was the BJP government at that time,” he said, adding, “It was sad that during Congress’ tenure, such decisions were taken.”
I request Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi to reconsider the order that has been issued in Karnataka and work on revoking this order,” Abdullah told reporters after a party function in Baramulla.
Asked about elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the former chief minister said the BJP was not ready to face the people.
“Leave aside the Assembly elections, even the municipal polls have been postponed. The municipality (corporation) in Srinagar does not exist now, even the term of the Jammu Municipality is coming to an end. By January, all municipalities will have completed their terms. The panchs and sarpanchs will also cease to exist after January,” he said.
“They (the central government) used to tell the world that they have established three-tier democracy in J&K, not one tier is left of it now. It is clear… if the BJP had felt that they would win elections here, they would have held the polls here,” he added.
