Srinagar, July 21: National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Sunday urged the people of Jammu to “open your eyes to the worsening conditions” in the province. He called for “voting wisely” in the upcoming assembly elections.
Addressing a public meeting at Guraha Salathia Ram Leela Ground in Samba, Omar said, “The Bharatiya Janata Party should have learned a valuable lesson from the recent parliamentary election results. They boasted of surpassing the 400 and 370 mark, yet they couldn’t even reach 240. This clearly indicates that the people in the country are dissatisfied with them.”
He said the BJP is currently seeking help from Bihar, Andhra and Maharashtra. “This should serve as a wake-up call for them. They made grand promises to the youth in J&K, claiming that Article 370 and the J&K flag were hindering their progress and job opportunities. Now we demand to know where those jobs are and where is the prosperity they pledged to our mothers and sisters,” he asked. “The people have finally seen through their facade.”
The meeting, according to the party statement, was convened by Harmesh Singh Slathia, Chander Udhey Singh, Ravinder Singh, Surjit Singh Manhas.
Omar said even though the NC did not field candidates in Udhampur and Jammu, the victory margin of any BJP candidate has significantly decreased. The winds of change are blowing, and the BJP must brace themselves for the storm that is coming their way, he said.
Referring to the stellar performance shown by the party in the recently concluded elections, Abdullah said, “Despite the poll debacle that NC suffered in north Kashmir, where the party’s segments couldn’t perform well, the party managed to win the majority of seats and performed admirably in most of the legislative assembly segments. This clearly indicates that the party is on track to form the next government in the region.”
While the loss of the north Kashmir seat has taught us some valuable lessons, overall, the party has excelled beyond expectations, he said, adding that the resilience and determination of the party members have shone through, proving that they are a force to be reckoned with.
The NC VP further exclaimed, “What has the BJP accomplished in terms of development? All you have done is increase inflation, making it nearly impossible for people to make ends meet. You distribute cylinders, yet raise the prices of cooking gas. What good are empty cylinders to our people who cannot afford the skyrocketing gas prices? There is a lack of water, yet water meters are being installed. There are no roads, yet property tax is enforced. Bank loans and contracts are being given to outsiders, while our own people are left struggling.”
“Ration supplies have been cut. Our people in border areas train their children for the army, but the Agniveer scheme has shattered their dreams. What are our youth supposed to do after being forced into retirement at the age of 25?” he asked.
Omar asked the people to “witness the devastation” left behind in Jammu and the impact of BJP’s actions. “Hardly a day goes by without news of our brave soldiers sacrificing their lives. Threats loom everywhere, even in regions we thought were safe from militant attacks. The situation is dire,” he said.
The NC leader said it was time for the people of the Jammu region to make a “critical decision” that will shape the future of their community. “The fate of the Jammu region rests in your hands. Choose wisely,” he said
