Srinagar- Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have found their voice after the passage of the resolution on the restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state as the “burden is off their shoulders”.
Notwithstanding protests by the opposition BJP, he said the first session of the newly elected Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is “short in duration but historic in terms of agenda”.
The chief minister was speaking on the vote of thanks for the Lieutenant Governor’s address in the House on the last day of the five-day session.
The Assembly met on Monday for its first session post-abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories by the BJP-led Central government on August 5, 2019.
It passed a resolution moved by the ruling National Conference, seeking a dialogue between the Centre and elected representatives from the region for the restoration of the erstwhile state’s special status.
The passage of the resolution irked BJP members who staged protests since Wednesday and disrupted the functioning of the House.
“After the passage of this resolution, I am happy that people have found their voice and they are able to talk. We were feeling suffocated… It seems that the burden is off the shoulders of the people.
“I have seen people who had forgotten their pens and keyboards find their footing again. They are feeling free enough to express themselves after 5 years,” Omar said in the House after all 28 protesting MLAs of the BJP were either marshalled or walked out earlier in the day.
The chief minister said that he got an opportunity to talk like this in the House after a long time.
“In March 2014, I spoke on the governor’s address as chief minister and in 2018 as the opposition. So much has changed since then and we have lost a lot. When I think about it, I cannot believe it,” he said referring to the August 5, 2019, development.
“When I stood here last time, we were a state and we had a special place and status in the country. It has all been snatched. While I will regret what we lost, I am happy that I have the enthusiasm. Whatever time has been fixed for me by Allah, I will not waste a day. I will serve the people,” Omar said.
He said his government wanted a detailed discussion on the Lt Governor’s address regarding next year’s agenda and the National Conference manifesto with regard to Constitutional safeguards and restoration of statehood.
“It’s fine they (BJP) don’t need the safeguards. But we wanted to hear their take on statehood. They jumped on their chairs without any discussion. The voters do not like this. The easiest time for a government is when there is noise in the House because there is nothing to answer,” Omar said.
He said those who left the House after raising a hue and cry have failed in their job.
“Their job was to make us accountable and get assurances from us. The last time we met, the resolution (on GST) was passed in this House… GST was imposed on us. We made noises in the hope that it would not get imposed because we knew the consequences.”
“Those came to the fore on August 5, 2019, when the remaining things were also snatched. Those talking about resolution today should introspect,” he said, pointing to the PDP which has raised objections over the phrasing of the resolution.
Omar said the resolution on special status passed by the Legislative Assembly was no compromise and that it was drafted in a way to ensure the Centre doesn’t trash it.
He said that some members here claimed that the resolution passed by this House was a “compromise.”
Slamming the PDP, Omar said this party is the one that made compromises all the way and allowed the BJP into Jammu and Kashmir.
“Let us believe that when they won in 2015, they had no option but to tie up with the BJP. But what happened in the second phase after the death of then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed?
“The PDP leaders made people wait for three months demanding additional confidence-building measures from the Centre but at the end ‘unhone usi tankha pe kaam kiya’ (PDP leaders worked on the same conditions as were set in 2015),” Omar said.
Thanking the people for voting with the hope that their issues and problems will be addressed, Omar said, “I have said from the outset that this assembly is the people’s assembly and the government is of the people.”
“Without doubt, we have the support of the Congress and Independents but this government is also of those who did not vote. We have to represent everyone. We are the servants and they are the lords. They have given their decision and we accept it,” he said.
Omar said some people thought assembly elections would not be held. “A few days before the elections, people told me that the polls would be deferred by some excuse. There were some people who did not want to see elections (being held) here.”
He said that the verification process especially CID verification regarding jobs, passports and other things was weaponized. “My government is working to ensure the verification system is eased for the relief of people,” he said.
Omar said that J&K was a UT and law and order was not the domain of his government. “But that doesn’t mean we have a rift with the police or any other security agency. Government is ready to support police and other security forces to establish peace. If there is no peace, development won’t take place. There are two ways of establishing peace: By force, that entails arresting people and creating fear psychosis and second establishing peace with peoples partnership. I am with the second one.”
“Once J&K gets its full statehood, his government will work for the release of prisoners who have no serious charges and cases against them. “At present it’s not our domain but once we get our powers, we will pursue this issue,” he added.
On statehood, Omar said that the current Assembly is not the one he would have wanted in terms of powers. “But this House is a way-forward to make J&K a full-fledged state. I was in Delhi recently where I handed over copies of the cabinet resolution on Statehood cleared by the LG office to PM Modi. My meetings were successful and I am hopeful that the Statehood will be restored soon,” Omar said.
‘Peaceful Atmosphere’ Highlighting the importance of a peaceful atmosphere, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said “if there is no peace, it becomes impossible to work on other things so it is our responsibility to help in keeping things peaceful”.
Omar strongly batted for the restoration of full statehood.
“This is not the assembly that we want…we want a full fledged assembly, the one promised by the prime minister,” he said.
The chief minister was speaking on the vote of thanks for the lieutenant governor’s address in the House, which met on Monday for its first session post abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories by the BJP-led Central government on August 5, 2019.“If there is no peace, it becomes impossible to work on other things. So it is our responsibility to help in keeping things peaceful. Two ways peace can be brought – through arrests and other such measures and second through making people partners in peace,” Omar said.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have powers over these things, but I have told the senior officers that there should be a mechanism where we can ensure the safety of the forces while not putting people to unease,” he added.
The chief minister’s remarks came at a time when terror incidents have witnessed a sharp increase after the formation of his government on October 16. (With Inputs From Agencies)
‘Agenda Will Not Be Set By SM Trends’
Omar emphasised that his government’s agenda would not be dictated by social media platforms, such as WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter.
During his response to the Motion of Thanks for the lieutenant governor’s address in the Assembly, Omar said, “Thank god, I write a lot on Twitter but do not read anything…. I want to assure the people of Jammu and Kashmir that our agenda will be set by the people, not by social media users.”
In his address, the NC leader urged the elected representatives to remain unaffected by social media trends when formulating policies.
“Do not base your policies on the University of WhatsApp and Facebook. Very few people use these platforms and those who do forget about you for five years until they suddenly remember you now,” he said.
The chief minister also addressed the inconsistencies among some MLAs, particularly those from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), regarding a resolution passed by the Assembly for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.
He suggested that the shifts in their stance could be attributed to discussions on social media. “I feel the change in their approach to the resolution is influenced by comments on WhatsApp and Facebook,” Omar noted.
Without naming specific individuals, he criticised those who had previously congratulated him on what they deemed a historic resolution but later expressed opposition.
“I do not understand how a historic resolution can become a compromise in just 15 minutes. Passing a resolution that the Centre would dismiss instantly can be done by anyone,” he asserted.
The chief minister defended the resolution, claiming that it reflects that the people of Jammu and Kashmir did not accept the decisions taken by the BJP-led Centre on August 5, 2019.
“There must be something in the resolution that prompts the home minister to target us for it. If it were a mere compromise, there would be no need for discussions. Their focus on it indicates that it opens doors rather than closing them. We aimed at avoiding language that would confine us,” he said.
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