Omar, Rahul Mimic Nehru-Sheikh Bond

Sonamarg (Ganderbal), Oct 04: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, Omar Abdullah, on Thursday reiterated the necessity for addressing the political issues of Jammu and Kashmir, and stressed on initiating centre-state internal dialogue.
“While we have to negotiate various challenges on development front and deal with militancy related issues, we have to focus on addressing political issues of the state simultaneously”, he said adding that he had been advocating this aspect continuously for the larger interest of the country and the state.
He said that the dialogue process between the centre and the state should resume like the restoration of Indo-Pak talks.
Speaking at the foundation laying ceremony of Z-Morh tunnel on Srinagar-Leh highway between Gagangir and Sonamarg this afternoon, the chief minister said his grandfather Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah and Jawaharlal Nehru, Sheikh Sahib and Mrs. Indira Gandhi and his father Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Rajiv Gandhi joined hands to resolve political and developmental issues pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir and he himself was working towards this goal.
He hoped that UPA government would focus on accelerating the process of addressing Jammu and Kashmir centric issues and initiate Centre-State internal dialogue to help strengthen the bonds with the country and ensure holistic development and welfare of the people in a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere. “This would also help in strengthening better State-Centre ties, unity and love between all regions of Jammu and Kashmir and permanent peace and progress in the region”, he added.
Underlining the importance of 4-laning of Pathankote-Srinagar-Uri and Srinagar-Leh highways, Omar said the prestigious projects taken in hand to achieve this target required fast tracking to ensure timely completion. He said that while construction of Z-Morh tunnel is a significant step towards upgrading the status of Srinagar-Leh highway.
In his address The union minister for New and Renewable Energy, Farooq Abdullah, expressed gratitude to the centre for full support to the state in development.

Speaking on the occasion, the Congress general-secretary, Rahul Gandhi, said he was a Kashmiri himself and wanted to associate with the people of the state in resolving their difficulties. “I myself am from a Kashmiri family and want to have lifelong relations with the people of Jammu and Kashmir”, he said adding that he extends hand to Omar Abdullah like Jawaharlal Nehru extended it to Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah for holistic and comprehensive development of Jammu and Kashmir.

Rahul Gandhi referred to the relations between Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah and Jawaharlal Nehru and between Rajiv Gandhi and Dr. Farooq Abdullah adding that he wants to strengthen these relations and extends hand to Omar Abdullah in a similar way as Jawaharlal Nehru extended it to Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah.

Rahul Gandhi said that he wants youth of Jammu and Kashmir involved in development process adding that he wants to share the difficulties of people. “I want to hear you, understand your problems and work for their redressal”, he said adding that he had visited the State last year, came here again this year and would come again and again to meet the people.

Rahul Gandhi said that there has been significant development in the Country in all fields of life. “Every State enjoyed share in the development process”, he said adding that Jammu and Kashmir also deserves all round development and economic welfare.

Rahul Gandhi said that the foundation laying of Z-Morh tunnel is a first step towards opening Ladakh area to traffic throughout the year adding that foundation for Zojila tunnel next year would be yet another important milestone to achieve the goal.

Several ministers were present on the occasion.

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