Jammu: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Thursday that the National Conference has presented its viewpoint to the Election Commission, hoping for an early issuance of notifications to initiate the election process in the Union Territory.
The National Conference (NC) vice-president said the Election Commission (EC) is obligated to conduct the assembly elections according to the deadline set by the Supreme Court, provided they believe the situation is better than it was in 1996.
Abdullah criticised the BJP-led government for neglecting the Jammu region and focusing entirely on maintaining peace in Kashmir, leading to a resurgence of militancy in Jammu.
“The Election Commission team is in Srinagar. My colleagues had the opportunity to meet them at 10.30 am. We have conveyed our views to the Election Commission, expecting early notification to kick-start the election process,” Abdullah told reporters in Bani during a public rally.
Asked about the timing of elections, he said it is up to the authorities whether to comply with the Supreme Court’s directive or acknowledge that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is worse than it was in 1996.
The 1996 elections for the Assembly and Parliament were conducted following improvements in the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir after seven years of intense militancy.
“If they choose not to hold elections if they feel the current situation is worse than 1996, we won’t complain. However, if they believe there is a difference between the current situation and that in 1996, then elections have to be held. Then the Election Commission has to complete the elections as per the deadline of 30 September set by the Supreme Court,” he said.
Immediate assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir was the dominant demand of all political leaders from the Union Territory (UT) who met the visiting EC team in Srinagar on Thursday.
The team led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar arrived here in the morning and met representatives of the registered political parties, including the NC, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and Jammu and Kashmir Panthers Party (JKPP) at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC).
Taking a swipe at the BJP government’s alleged efforts to dismantle his party, Abdullah remarked that they have been out of power for the past decade.
“In the last five years, the BJP and its government have tried to undermine the National Conference. However, none of our party’s programmes have failed. Our manifesto preparations have drawn large public participation,” he said.
Abdullah said the NC requested public feedback, expecting responses from a handful of people, but received 1,000 to 1,500 emails and messages, most containing valuable suggestions.
“People place high expectations on the National Conference,” he added.
Responding to questions about increasing terrorist attacks in the Jammu region, Abdullah attributed these incidents to the neglect by past rulers who failed to focus on the region on the security front.
“The entire focus was on Kashmir province, which should remain peaceful. We also wanted the Kashmir province to be okay, but that does not mean we should lose focus and neglect Jammu. They neglected their focus on the Jammu region, resulting in the emergence of such a security situation, which we see here,” he said.
Abdullah expressed concern over the rise in militancy, stating it should not have been allowed to resurface.
“We had eradicated militancy from these areas, including Chenab, Rajouri, Reasi and Poonch. However, negligence by our leaders has allowed militancy to regain a foothold,” he lamented.
Abdullah expressed the hope that cooperation from the public will help bring the situation under control soon.
Abdullah also said the ground reality does not support the government’s claim that it is creating a new Jammu and Kashmir which symbolises peace, progress and development.
“They (BJP government and J&K administration) have claimed that Jammu and Kashmir is free of violence and gun culture. But when we look at the reality on the ground, the areas we had freed from terrorism are once again reeling under the fear of guns,” he said.
“People in areas, where there used to be no Village Defence Committees, are now demanding weapons to safeguard themselves and their villages. The army, (personnel) packed in scores of trucks, are being re-inducted into areas where the number of troops was decreased by us,” Abdullah said.
He said that “our rulers did not pay attention to these areas”.
“They neglected them, and that has led to the worsening situation that we are all witnessing. They have failed on the security front,” he said
Recalling his tenure as J&K chief minister, Abdullah said that “as far as security was concerned, I cannot recall any militant attack taking place in the Bani area during my six-year rule under the NC-Congress coalition government”.
“We never heard of any encounters or militants roaming in the area during that period. We had made the region free of gun culture,” he said.
There have been reports of terrorist attacks in Bani (Kathua district) and in Kishtwar, Doda, Reasi, Rajouri, and Poonch districts in the Jammu region), Abdullah highlighted.
