‘Will play role in achieving terror-free target’
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 28: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah today claimed that the BJP does not want to hold any elections in Jammu and Kashmir as it knows that people will punish them through ballot.
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“They (BJP) are not in a mood to hold elections because they know that people are not with them. Leave Kashmir aside, BJP will be at the receiving end from the people in Jammu as well. That’s why they do not have courage to hold polls,” Abdullah told reporters at the party headquarters here.
The former Chief Minister said the current dispensation does not seem to be in favour of even holding the Local Bodies and Panchayat elections, which the government played up in the Supreme Court.
“Assembly is a far cry, perhaps they are not willing to hold Local Bodies and Panchayat elections which they talked about a lot in the Supreme Court. The only election that we believe will be held is the one to Parliament. They might find it difficult to defer that. Other than that they don’t seem to be in a mood to hold any other election because the mood of the people is to punish them through votes,” he said.
Asked about deferring of the Local Bodies elections, Abdullah said the Government will deny it.
“If you ask them (Government), they will tell you how can the elections be deferred when we have not announced it,” he said.
In response to a question, Abdullah charged that Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and some bureaucrats were the only people who do not want Assembly elections to be held in Jammu and Kashmir.
“There is only one person, and may be a few officers around him who will be going from here when the LG leaves, who does not want elections. Ask anyone on the road. I am not saying they will vote for my party or a particular party but everyone wants elections. There are few yes men who visit the Raj Bhawan to mislead the LG. I also headed a Government for six years, these turncoats used to come to my office as well,” he added.
Abdullah was referring to a recent statement made by Sinha in which he claimed that 80 per cent of people in Jammu and Kashmir were happy with the current dispensation and did not want any change.
He said a meeting of opposition parties has been convened in Jammu next week to review the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
“A meeting has been called, we will sit and discuss. The situation of Jammu and Kashmir will be reviewed. If there is a need for doing something, it will be decided there. The good thing is that the meeting has been convened in Jammu as sometimes it is claimed that all decisions are taken in Kashmir,” he added.
Asked about Director General of Police Dilbag Singh’s statement about terror-free Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah said his party will play its role it achieving this goal.
“Who can object to it, other than the terrorists? No one will say that the DGP has said anything wrong. Please make Jammu and Kashmir terror-free, we will also play whatever role we can in this regard. But noting can be achieved by just making statements. How terror-free we are is evident from the Kokernag incident. After such a long time, losing a Colonel, a Major, a DySP of JK Police and a jawan is not an ordinary incident,” he said.
“Your aim is to make (JK) terror free, please do it. Let it be proved on the ground. Then remove the AFSPA. We will be the first ones to cheer for you,” he added.
Omar said Canada should share the evidence about killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar with India to prove its allegations and enable New Delhi to take “corrective measures”, if needed.
“Canada is alleging that India did some incident in that country. They should share the evidence with India,” Abdullah said.
He said Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar has said India will take action if Ottawa shares its evidence with New Delhi.
“India has said the same thing at the UN as well. The Foreign Minister said if there is any evidence, share it. If there is a need for taking any corrective measures after that, India will do it. Only verbal claims would not work, the evidence should be shared with India,” Abdullah, who was Minister of State for External Affairs in the Vajpayee-led Government, said.
On the friction in relations between India and Canada, the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir said, “It was unfortunate”.
“The two countries had good relations, be it in terms of trade or people to people contact. Our students would go there to study,” he added.
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