Srinagar: Addressing an impressive gathering at the mausoleum of his grandparents in Hazratbal on the 26th death anniversary of his grandmother, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah asked the Centre not to mistake his patience for weakness when it came to the restoration of statehood, and demanded that the Union government make the definition of ‘appropriate time’ clear.
He was addressing a workers’ convention at the mausoleum of his grandparents in Hazratbal on the occasion of the 26th death anniversary of his grandmother Begum Akbar Jehan, popularly known as Madr-e-Meharban.
Abdullah asserted that if the Centre was ready to talk to the people of Ladakh, then “why not the people of Jammu and Kashmir?”
Paying tribute to his grandmother, Abdullah said he has learned a lot from her, but the biggest lesson was to have patience. “We have to keep patience — as was shown by her. But patience is not the path of weakness. Patience is not the path of silence.
“It doesn’t mean that we don’t have to raise our voice for our rights. It doesn’t mean that you will take undue advantage of our patience. It doesn’t mean that you will think us weak. This patience is our strength, it is our voice, and God willing, this patience will be our success,” the chief minister said at the convention.
He further said the central government should ask itself why, after being in power for over one-and-a-half years, the ruling party in Jammu and Kashmir was mulling a protest at Jantar Mantar.
“There must be some compulsion; something must have changed. I kept my political future and reputation at stake and told the Centre that we want to secure our rights through dialogue and not violence, knowing that this decision can be very risky for me politically,” he said.
Abdullah said after he formed the government, he wanted the Centre to fulfill its promises and waited for it this long. “The reality is that they want to keep the situation like this,” he said.
The chief minister said his party’s success in assembly elections has become a “punishment” for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “Why did you let us form the government if you will not allow it to function? What is the benefit? Then you should not have conducted the elections,” he said.
He accused the BJP-led central government of controlling governance of Jammu and Kashmir through the LG (Lieutenant Governor) and said, “If you had to harass people through the Raj Bhavan, dismiss employees and run bulldozers, then why did you bring us forward?”
“They should have told us at that time that you come forward, but we will tie your hands behind your back. That we will give you those officers who will not implement (your) decisions…. It is our patience that we are still working like donkeys to achieve something for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.
Abdullah also asked the Centre to define the implication of “appropriate time”.
“I ask them, for God’s sake, how will we know that the ‘appropriate time’ has come. What do my colleagues and I have to do to reach that ‘appropriate time’?” he said.
He further asked if the ‘appropriate time’ implies the BJP coming to power in the erstwhile state. “Have the courage to say it publicly. At least, we will not remain in this deception that you will fulfill the promise,” he added.
Pointing to the electors’ participation in the parliamentary and assembly polls, the chief minister asked how many more elections would have to be fought in the hope that statehood would be eventually restored.
“Now, you say you want to conduct local bodies and panchayat polls; we also want that,” he said, adding, Jammu and Kashmir government will decide what the appropriate time for conducting the local bodies polls would be.
“Both sides can use this ‘appropriate time’. You have made a joke of our patience, decency and silence. Do you want to light a fire here?” Abdullah asked.
Referring to the Centre’s talks with the representatives of Ladakh, the chief minister said it is a subtle message that nothing can be achieved without protesting.
“Today, knowingly or unknowingly, or in a well-thought-out way, we are sent a message that nothing can be achieved without protests. We compare our situation with Ladakh, and are forced to raise the question: when you (the Centre) are ready to talk with Ladakh, why not us?” he asked.
Abdullah pointed out that Article 370 was abrogated as the Centre wanted to have the same constitution across the country, but the government is now ready to give special concessions to Ladakh.
“You tell us that there should be only one way in the country, everyone should be equal, and that is why we revoked Article 370. But, if you tell Ladakh that you talk to us, we will give you 371. We seek statehood, but the same BJP people who are ready to give 371 to Ladakh, tell us we will not get the statehood,” he remarked.
“We ask them to at least let us choose officers to work with, but they do not allow us. You tell Ladakh they can decide upon the chief secretary, write his ACR, and make budgetary decisions as well, and say we do not have any objections. Why is this? It is because the people of Ladakh started an agitation,” he added.
Pointing to the party’s proposed protest at Jantar Mantar on July 20 over the restoration of statehood, Abdullah appealed to political parties to support the NC protest in Delhi.
Brushing aside criticism from some quarters that the party did not discuss the issue with others, he said the issue of statehood did not belong just to his family, but to all the people of J&K.
” The issue of statehood is not only ours but also of the whole J&K. We invited all parties that have MLAs in the current assembly, or have had in the past. Tell me what was the need to invite Ghulam Nabi Azad, Altaf Bukhari, Hakeem Yaseen or the Panthers party? Statehood belongs to all, not just us,” he said, appealing to the parties to leave the electoral battle for some time.
“Kargil, Ladakh, Buddhists, Muslims, Congress, NC, BJP, all came together to achieve something,” he said, adding it will be a huge injustice to the people of J&K if some leaders want to stay away from the NC protest due to some fear or pressure.
“NC’s victory in assembly elections has become a “punishment” for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Why did you let us form the government if you will not allow it to function? What is the benefit? Then you should not have conducted the elections.”
He also asked party workers to hold protest programmes at district headquarters on July 20. However, he stressed that they should only raise slogans over the restoration of statehood.
“This is a start. How much forward we have to take it and what shape is to be given to this protest programme, will be known when we know whether the Centre is ready to talk to us or not,” he said.
Meanwhile, hundreds of party workers gathered at the venue overlooking the famous Dal Lake and stood united with the party leadership amid growing criticism of the Abdullah government.
Party’s senior leaders, MPs, ministers and MLAs from Kashmir attended the event, as workers came from different parts and far-flung areas of the valley.
Many of them had turned up at the venue early in the morning.
After the ‘fateha’ ritual (special prayers) for Begum Jehan, several NC leaders addressed the gathering, with most speeches focusing on the restoration of J&K’s statehood.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is also the vice-president of the party, asserted that the Centre should not mistake the people’s patience as their weakness.
Referring to the all-party meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on June 24, 2021, to discuss the political future of Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370, NC president Farooq Abdullah said he pointed out at the meeting that there was a trust gap between Delhi and J&K.
“The PM then said that the gap will be bridged. But has it happened…? We are also humans. We are the crown of India, and not its shoes. We also have respect, and we appeal to you (PM) to peacefully restore that respect,” Farooq Abdullah said.
Senior Abdullah said the central government had promised to restore J&K statehood during a meeting with the chief minister, but “unfortunately, those promises were not kept”.
“However, we have not lost courage, and will never,” he asserted.
He asked the leaders to leave their personal interests and work unitedly for the people of J&K.
The three-time former chief minister also claimed that attempts are being made to break the National Conference party, and asked the workers to be courageous.
“You have to keep courage. Attempts are being made to buy our people, like they did in 1984. They will continue to do that. But they will not succeed. Many tried to, but are nowhere now,” Farooq Abdullah said.
“Be wary of the people who are conspiring against us, they are on salary. Give a response to them. We don’t have to take stones or guns in our hands, but we have to answer them through what we are doing,” he added.
Both Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah expressed gratitude to the party workers for turning up in large numbers.
He also requested the partymen to pray for the good health of his uncle and party leader Mustafa Kamal.
“He could not attend the event; he is hospitalised. So, please pray for his good health,” the CM said.
“Now, you say you want to conduct local bodies and panchayat polls; we also want that. If you talk about appropriate time for restoration of statehood, Jammu and Kashmir government will decide what the appropriate time for conducting the local bodies polls would be.”
