Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday questioned the “sudden” action being taken against Rohingyas, saying they were being “targeted for no reason”, while asserting that people who entered India from Bangladesh without permission could not stay in the country illegally.
“People who have come from Bangladesh without permission, it is a different matter for them. But the Rohingyas, who are being targeted for no reason, when they were deported from their country, we gave them a place here. We allowed them to live here until their country’s situation improves,” Omar told reporters in Srinagar, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)
“I find it strange to take action against them suddenly. But we do not have it in our hands. This is the Government of India,” he said.
Omar added that the J&K Police is also not under the control of the Union Territory government in the matter.
On the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the Chief Minister said the J&K government would not implement it, arguing that such legislation should be debated and enacted by Parliament.
“If you have the courage, bring a law in Parliament. Debate it in Parliament. See if it passes in Parliament or not,” he said.
On the INDIA bloc’s campaign over alleged deletions from voter lists, Omar said the issue would continue to be raised, noting that the Supreme Court had also sought responses from the Election Commission and the Government of India over the alleged deletions.
On mobile connectivity, Omar said the Cabinet had decided to allot land to BSNL in areas without mobile coverage to facilitate the installation of towers.
He also said ducts were being laid along roads to avoid repeated digging by different departments for water, electricity and telecommunications works.
“Where the road will be built, it would be better to use the duct so that there will be no need to dig the road again and again,” he said.—(KNO)
