Jammu/Srinagar- Jammu and Kashmir lost everything – from statehood to identity to land rights – over the past 10 years of BJP rule, National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah said on Saturday, as he questioned the ruling party over its claims of finishing terrorism in the Union territory.
Targeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Abdullah said the BJP leader should explain why his party was blaming the NC and Congress for terrorism in J-K while he was blaming Pakistan in the rest of the country.
He also hit out at the BJP for its failure to keep the promises made to the people of J-K following the abrogation of Article 370 that granted special status to the region and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union territories in August 2019.
“In the 2014 assembly elections, when I came in front of you, we had our own state and Ladakh was our part. We had our own flag, constitution, our identity, our existence, rights on land, water, hills and forests.
“After 10 years down the line, today nothing is left with us and all this happened in the BJP rule,” Abdullah, a former chief minister, said addressing an election rally in support of party candidate Aijaz Ahmad Jan in Poonch-Haveli assembly segment.
Abdullah also addressed election rallies in support of NC candidate Surinder Choudhary, who is pitted against J-K BJP chief Ravinder Raina, in Nowshera and party leader Thakur Yashu Rachpal Singh in Kalakote.
“A lot of promises were made when Article 370 was revoked. We were told that it is the biggest hurdle in our development, employment generation, setting up of industries, lack of tourism and healthcare besides handing over guns in the hands of the youth. Five years have passed and today I am compelled to ask what changed in J&K,” he said.
The NC leader said neither did the youth get employment nor did it get new industries, instead, people are now reeling under electricity and water crisis and other basic facilities.
“The past 10 years of BJP has proved a burden on the people of J&K. They are claiming that terrorism was finished. The ground reality shows it has spread to new areas in Jammu region, which were declared peaceful before 2014 during my government,” he said addressing the rally in Nowshera.
Asserting that the NC-Congress coalition will form the next government he said peace will return to militancy-hit areas of Jammu region.
In the Kalakote rally, Abdullah said the abrogation of Article 370 has not only changed the map of Jammu and Kashmir but also harmed the relation of J&K with the rest of the country.
“The relation between J&K and the rest of the country is snapped by the BJP,” he said.
Speaking to reporters in Budgam, Abdullah said slammed Amit Shah for his remarks that the NC and Congress were responsible for terrorism in J-K.
“Shah needs to come clean on who is responsible for terrorism in J-K. Because in the rest of the country, when the BJP talks, they blame Pakistan. But, in J-K, they blame NC and Congress,” he said.
Out of the 40,000 people that the Union home minister counted as militancy victims, one was standing with him, the NC leader said referring to Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi.
“Mehdi’s father was lost to militancy. He is one of the many families who were part of the mainstream politics in J-K and associated with the NC, who were targeted because they did not want to surrender the political belief that whatever will come to J-K will come through the constitution,” he added.
If they truly believe that the NC and Congress are responsible for terror in J-K, “why are they not talking to Pakistan?” he asked.
“If we are responsible for militancy, then talk to Pakistan’s government tomorrow, because they do not have anything to do with militancy. Then reopen the cross-LoC routes like Srinagar-Muzaffarabad, Poonch-Rawlakot and others, because Pakistan is not responsible and it is NC and Congress which is responsible. Why are you holding Pakistan responsible?” he said.
The NC vice president said the people of J-K are “distressed” due to the prevailing situation.
“They want to get rid of this. FIRs that have been registered against youth, many of them are being kept in jail outside J-K. People want resolution of such issues and that is why they are not only taking part in rallies, but also voting on the voting day,” he said.
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