Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday defended the protests by ruling National Conference MLAs in the Legislative Assembly over the Waqf Amendment Act, saying the recently enacted law has hurt the sentiments of the majority of the people in the Union Territory.
He also hit back at the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Peoples Conference leadership, which had targeted him over his recent meeting with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju at Tulip Garden in Srinagar, and said they were the ones who “sat in the lap” of the BJP and “destroyed” J&K.
“Majority of the members of the House were upset with the Waqf Amendment Act and wanted to express themselves in the House. Unfortunately, they did not get the opportunity to put forth their viewpoint on the matter.
“They wanted to represent the sentiments of the Muslim majority region within the assembly. But what cannot be done within the House, we will do it outside it. The bill passed in the parliament has hurt the sentiments of the majority of the people of J&K,” the chief minister told reporters outside the Assembly.
The House was adjourned sine die after proceedings were paralysed for three consecutive days by protests from non-BJP parties against the Speaker disallowing their demand for a discussion on the Waqf issue.
The chief minister said that the party will elaborate on the future course of action it intends to adopt on the Waqf issue.
Abdullah, who missed the last three days of the budget session due to his engagements in Kashmir valley, said “strange things” happened in the Assembly where some opposition members spoke against him, an apparent reference to PDP and PC leaders who questioned him for hosting Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju during his recent visit to Tulip Garden in Srinagar.
“Today those people are speaking (against me) who were sitting in the lap of BJP and talking about ‘milk and toffees’… they destroyed Jammu and Kashmir and are now making allegations against me.
“They distributed bats, misguided the youth and dragged them to the then Home Minister’s programme,” Abdullah said.
In August 2016, following unrest triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen poster boy Burhan Wani that left over 100 people dead, Mehbooba Mufti, accompanied by the then Home minister Rajnath Singh, lost her composure at a press conference and said, “Those kids killed in Kashmir had not gone to buy milk and toffee (from the security camps)”.
“Today if we are in this condition, it is because of those people who are raising their fingers against me,” Abdullah said.
The chief minister said it is true that two days ago, he took his father to the Tulip Garden along the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar. “It is a matter of coincidence that at that time, a central minister (Rijiju) was present there. We had a hello-hi there and he wanted to take a picture with me. Should I have refused and misbehaved? He wanted to take a picture so I took a picture with him,” he said.
He said those people who “gave entry” to the BJP into Kashmir are now trying to use such a thing against him.
“They are yet to apologise to the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the killings of 2016. I think this is completely wrong and they should first look inwards and see what their actions were, what relations they had with the leadership of BJP and what disadvantages Jammu and Kashmir had to face because of those relations before pointing fingers at me,” he said.
No J&K govt ever tolerated terrorism; people’s cooperation must to eliminate it: CM
Asserting that no government ever tolerated terrorism, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday reiterated that the people’s cooperation is a must to eliminate militancy which was at its lowest ebb in 2014.
He also said there will be no shortfall in the efforts for restoration of promised statehood to the Union Territory. “I hope this process will start soon.”
Talking to reporters at the end of a 21-day-long budget session here, he said every past government has had “zero tolerance” against terrorism.
“Which government has tolerated terrorism? At least, the government (NC-Congress) which I was part of never tolerated terrorism. I believe we should take J&K where I (as chief minister) had left it in 2014 (after completion of the tenure). The whole of J&K was almost freed of terrorism. Except two-and-a-half districts, the militancy was nowhere to be seen in Kashmir,” Abdullah said.
He said the government, during his previous term, had also zero tolerance against terrorism at that time.
He was responding to a question about Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir and his direction to the security officers to follow zero tolerance for terrorism.
“Today, we also want that there is no militancy and I am repeating it that without taking the people along, you cannot end militancy. In this fight (against terrorism), we have to take the people along. This is how they are going to succeed in their mission. I see the role of elected representatives and they will continue to play their role,” the chief minister said.
Asked about restoration of statehood, Abdullah said there will be no shortfall in the efforts in this direction.
“Statehood is our right and we have been promised of its restoration (by the central government). I hope this process will be initiated soon,” he said.
