‘South Kashmir will give us a chance’
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Jan 15: Former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today asked Governor Satya Pal Malik not to interfere in State politics but to make the situation favourable for the elections so that people can take part in the process.
Omar while addressing a rally in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district said: “Governor (SP Malik) Sahab’s job is not to interfere in the politics here. Politics is our job. The sole responsibility of the Governor and his administration is to make the situation favourable to conduct elections so that people will once again take part in the election process.”
He also targeted Governor for his remarks on Operation All Out. “There are contradictory remarks from Governor and Army over Operation All Out. We want to know whose claim is right. I too want to know whether there is any such operation or not. We would never want any operation where people are the targets in the form of crackdowns, killings and excesses. We would never support it. Instead of alienating the people we would like to bring them towards us”, he said.
Omar said that his party will never support such operations that make people to suffer. “We will never support such operation where the people will suffer the most. The crackdowns, killings or excesses, whatever you will name them, even then also we won’t support such operations,” Omar said.
Later while taking to reporters, the National Conference (NC) vice-president said had his party and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah not contested 1996 election in the State then the militant-turned counter-insurgent, Kuka Parray, would have been Chief Minister of the State.
“Nobody can deny this or even I can’t prove it, this is my belief that if Farooq Sahab and NC would not had contested 1996 elections then Kuka Parray would have been J&K CM. Whether anybody accepts this or not it is up to them,” Omar said.
He said that they would try to understand reason behind the anger that led to youth taking up arms. “We would try to understand the anger of the people and find reasons behind the youth picking up arms after 2014. We would like to address those reasons”, he said.
Omar said that his party wants to come to power with full majority and doesn’t want alliance with any party. “If we came to power this time it should be on our might with full majority then only can we show people our intention and address their issues. We don’t want alliance as we have witnessed its destruction”, he said.
The former Chief Minister hoped that South Kashmir would give his party another chance in the next Assembly elections as the party that won last time betrayed them. “We would like to win from South Kashmir in the next Assembly elections. But it all dependents on God’s will and the people of South Kashmir. Our aim and job are to reach out to people and hope to gain their trust this time. Its true we lost in South Kashmir in last Assembly elections. But, people were betrayed by the party that they voted to power. I don’t want the people to face the betrayal again. For that, they have to trust us”, he said.
Omar asked Mehbooba why she didn’t visit militant families when she was Chief Minister. “She can go anywhere, we cannot question that. However, we would like to ask her why didn’t she visit the families as Chief Minister, when she has the power to change things for them. She could have done anything. She was head of Unified Command Headquarter and very close to New Delhi. Why is she feeling the sufferings after losing the power?,” he asked.
On Shah Faesal, he said that it is for former IAS officer to decide where he wants to go now after quitting his job. “It’s his choice now where to go. If he wants to join NC then definitely we will discuss it. As Shah Faesal has quit his service for the people of Kashmir, now it is he who has to decide how to work for the people,” he added.
Omar told his party workers that they have to make people understand the reasons behind the deteriorating situation in the Valley from 2014-19. “The Government will not come easily to us. We cannot make statements from here. We have to bring people towards us and make them understand that the NC would not repeat the past mistakes. We have to make people understand the reasons behind the deteriorating situation in the Valley from 2014-19. Then only can we expect people will vote in our favour”, he said.
The former Chief Minister asked his party workers to strengthen the party. “Don’t assume that people are with us. Undoubtedly, the wave is in our favour but it needs to be grasped firmly as the wave comes and goes easily. We have seen the waves before. Some waves are so strong that it brings the only destruction for the people. We do not want to be that wave. We have to first strengthen our home. For that, we have to strength the party”, he said.
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