‘Delimitation, reservation, Govt machinery used to benefit BJP’
NC made Hindu DyCM from Jammu without any political compulsion
Efforts made not just to weaken but erase NC over 8-10 years
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 19: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today took a dig at the BJP saying delimitation of Assembly constituencies was done, reservation was given and Government machinery was used to favour it but said anger against the party which was clearly visible in Kashmir, Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal region was not seen in the form of votes in Jammu.
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On his first visit to Jammu City and second to the region after taking oath of the Chief Minister on October 16, Omar also had a word of caution for the Government officers saying they will have to develop a habit that now there is an elected Government in place and they will no more identify the development works to be executed in Jammu and Kashmir but it will be people of the UT who will select the works and only thereafter the DPRs (Detailed Project Reports) will be prepared.
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Addressing a large gathering at Sher-i-Kashmir Bhawan, the National Conference headquarters in Jammu, the Chief Minister said delimitation (of the Assembly constituencies) was done, reservation was given and even the Government machinery was used to benefit a political party (a reference towards the BJP) and efforts were made over last eight to 10 years not just to weaken the National Conference but erase it.
Omar was accorded warm welcome on his arrival to Sher-i-Kashmir Bhawan by the party leaders and workers.
Referring to the welcome speech of senior party leader and former minister Ajay Kumar Sadhotra, who lost the Assembly election to BJP’s Sham Lal Sharma in Jammu North, Omar said he was compelled to ask why the anger of the people against the Lt Governor-led administration could not be seen on the polling booths in Jammu.
“The people of Kashmir, Chenab valley (erstwhile Doda district) and Pir Panjal region (Rajouri and Poonch districts) showed their anger by voting for us… We also heard that the people in Jammu are angry over stopping of ‘Darbar Move’, installation of smart meters, high electricity bills, water shortage and growing unemployment but the anger could not be seen at the polling booths in Jammu. What is the reason for this?
“We have to understand it and if they are not upset (with BJP), we don’t need to do much because everything is alright for them. But if they are angry and despite their anger, they voted for one side, we have to look for the reasons,” he said.
BJP won 10 out of 11 Assembly seats in Jammu district, five out of six in Kathua district, all four in Udhampur district and two out of three in Reasi district. However, in Pir Panjal region, the BJP could get just one out of eight seats. In Chenab Valley, the BJP won four seats but lost four. BJP UT chief Ravinder Raina also lost the election in Nowshera constituency of Rajouri district.
“However, whatever be the reasons, my Government will not run on the voting pattern,’’ Omar declared and rejected the charge by certain elements that Jammu will be ignored and punished for not electing the National Conference and Congress.
Asserting that he had already stated that his Government will be inclusive with representations of all and voice of everyone, the Chief Minister mentioned that appointment of the Deputy Chief Minister was not a compulsion this time though previously it was due to coalition politics.
He recalled that during PDP-Congress coalition Government, Mangat Ram Sharma and then PDP leader (Muzaffar Baig) and during National Conference-Congress coalition Government Tara Chand were made the Deputy Chief Ministers because of compulsion of the coalition politics.
“The Congress had decided that it will not participate in the Government. We appointed the Deputy Chief Minister from the same party which has the Chief Minister. This is an answer to those who raised finger at us and dubbed NC as a Muslim, Kashmiris’ and dynastic party which don’t see anything other than the family. But we made the Deputy Chief Minister not only from the Jammu but also a Hindu who has nothing to do with my family,’ Omar said.
Without naming the BJP, the Chief Minister said delimitation was done, reservation was given and administrative machinery was used to benefit one party but added that such things never work.
He declared that the decisions on development works will not be taken by the Government officers now but the people.
“Let the Government officers develop a habit that now there is an elected Government in the place which has to take decisions as per wishes of the people. Decision will not be taken in offices of the officers but by the people. People will identify the works and tell the officers,’’ he said.
The Chief Minister also announced that he will hold meetings with the party cadres on the sidelines of Government functions to get their feedback, rather than depending solely on Government officials.
He assured the people that they would be heard by his Government and their voices won’t be lost in the darkness anymore.
Omar said some people who didn’t bother to send even a single message to him when he was out of power are now sending him three to four messages daily right from the morning up to late night inquiring about his well being, lunch and dinner etc.
Referring to some of his colleagues telling him that there was something good about his loss in the Lok Sabha polls, Omar said, “I was thinking what can be good in a defeat… But after becoming the Chief Minister, I am getting a lot of messages from people who never tried to inquire about my wellbeing in the past five years.”
“Elections are over and the people gave their mandate. The Government is formed and now it is our turn to reach out to the people and address their issues… After 2018 (when the PDP-BJP Government collapsed), people faced a lot of problems and are disappointed,” he said.
Omar said his Government will not be run on the voting pattern witnessed in the Assembly elections as he wants to see the “missing smiles” back on the faces of the people in both the divisions of J&K.
In a veiled attack on BJP, Omar said a lot of attempts were made to erase the National Conference in the past 10 years but the party only emerged stronger due to its dedicated cadre base.
“Attempts were made not just to weaken but completely erase the party over the past eight to 10 years. Which schemes have not been used against us? Our colleagues were threatened or lured but most of them stood with the party and thwarted the conspiracies,” he said.
Without identifying the ‘conspirators’ but apparently referring to the BJP, Omar said the NC leadership fought against these powers and barring a couple of leaders, nobody left the party.
“Those who left thought that National Conference would be finished by their decision to quit the party. But it has been proved that NC is a party of workers, not leaders,” he said, referring to two senior former leaders who joined the BJP in October 2021.
“Easy work is done by reaching here (forming the Government). Now the difficult work starts as we have to fulfil the aspirations of the people, pull them out of their difficulties and bridge the gap between the Government and the people,” he said.
He asked the party workers not to “misuse the Government” for their own benefit.
“This is not for us as we are servants and not the owners. The real owners are the people and we have to work for them 24 hours to mitigate their problems and bring back smiles on their faces which we could not see for the last six to eight years,” Omar said.
He asked the party workers not to lose their heart and said JK is presently a UT but it cannot be such for long.
“We will get back our rights. We will fight for all that which was taken away from us and there is no need to get annoyed or disappointed,” he said.
Stating that the party derives its strength first from the almighty and then from its workers, Omar said, “Our very strong cadre base has weathered the storm.”
Thanking the voters and the party workers for NC’s triumph in the Assembly polls, the Chief Minister said five Independent MLAs extended their support to NC without setting any precondition.
“Not a single Independent MLA asked anything for himself. As everyone waited patiently for this day, we have to now ensure that all the Assembly segments are developed equally and people’s issues are addressed to their satisfaction,” he said.
Stating that he was tired of doing continuous politics because of the back-to-back Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, Omar said he now wants to concentrate more on addressing the issues facing the people of J-K.
The Chief Minister also assured media persons that his Government will not interfere in their functioning; saying democracy is incomplete without an independent press.
“My Government will ensure that no injustice is done with the media persons. They are free to criticise any shortcoming in my Government,” he said.
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