Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 25: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today claimed that BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s rally, scheduled here for December 1, was aimed at creating communal tension and divide people in the name of religion and region to polarize the society and gain political mileage ahead of Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
“People should be cautious of the attempts taken by a particular political party to create communal tension dividing them in the name of religion and region,” Omar said while addressing an impressive gathering at village Sangar after laying the foundation of Sangar bridge over river Tawi in Nagrota Assembly segment this afternoon.
“The rally of December 1 announced by BJP in Jammu is aimed at this target,” he added.
The BJP will open its old Pandora’s Box at Sunday’s rally (of Narendra Modi), he claimed and predicted that the BJP leaders will talk of abrogation of Article 370, discrimination between Kashmir and Jammu and other emotional issues.
“They will criticise all leaders right from Jawaharlal Nehru to Farooq Abdullah for the political situation in the State in order to create hatred between the Hindus and the Muslims… Between Kashmir and Jammu for vote bank politics.. This has been their trait always,” Omar alleged.
“Give them a befitting reply by showing your unity and commitment for solidarity, communal harmony and brotherhood,” he appealed to the gathering.
“All are aware that when they (BJP leadership) are out of power they raise sensitive issues and flair up emotions of people but when in power they shut the lid of their Pandora’s Box and never raise such matters,” he further alleged.
He said that another opposition party-the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), also thrived on “falsehood playing similar cards to divide the people on emotional grounds”.
He criticised the PDP for its attempt to malign him linking him with every problem in the State.
Omar said that parties like BJP and PDP try their best to create tension in the society and take advantage of the division while the National Conference (NC) and Congress are parties, which stand for brotherhood, communal amity and unity.
“The Congress and NC are always at the receiving end when communal elements wedge apart society on communal, sectarian and regional grounds”, the Chief Minister added.
Omar said that the designs of communal parties could be foiled when the NC and Congress will jointly defeat them at all levels.
He also alleged that the BJP had attempted to put the State on flames by flaring up the Kishtwar incident and thanked people for their help to restore tranquility and law and order.
Claiming that both PDP and BJP had played the communal card in 2008 to divide the society for electoral benefits, he said the National Conference was confined to 28 Assembly seats in the (2008) Assembly elections as it didn’t believe in playing the communal cards.
“Our tally would have been much higher in 2008 Assembly elections but the two political parties (PDP and BJP) exploited the emotional sentimental of the people by playing communal cards in the aftermath of 2008 Amarnath land agitation,” the Chief Minister said.
The rally saw Congress leader and Works Minister Abdul Mujeed Wani heaping praises on Omar saying: “we need the leadership of Omar Abdullah, who has been working with honesty and dedicatedly”. He added that the Congress has been supporting Omar for past about five years now.
Congress leaders including Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha member Madan Lal Sharma and Rani Bloeria, MLC also attended the National Conference rally apart from Mujeed Wani.
Calling upon the BJP to do self-introspection on its demand for abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India, Omar said the BJP was clearly indulging in double speaks on the issue.
“I had worked with them. During the NDA Government headed by Atal Behari Vajpayee, the BJP never raked up the issue of scrapping Article 370. However, now out of power, the BJP was going to take the issue vigorously during its December 1 rally at Jammu (which would be addressed by the party’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendera Modi),” he added.
The Chief Minister said: “the BJP speaks one thing in power and another when out of power. Similarly, the PDP speaks the language of separatists in Kashmir and nationalists in Jammu while in New Delhi they blame me for the Kashmir problem. They say if Omar is ousted, the Kashmir problem would be solved. Contrary to the two opposition parties, the NC speaks in one language not only in all three regions of the State but also in New Delhi”.
He added: the PDP leadership while in Kashmir demands that Pakistan currency should be introduced in Jammu and Kashmir. In Jammu they claim to be true Indians and loyalists of the Government of India while in New Delhi they say the Omar is only road block in Kashmir solution”.
“If the water level rises in river Tawi, any area is affected by drought, a scam surfaces in MBBS seats or there is any other political problem, the PDP would blame me as they feel I’m the biggest road block in their designs to astray people by falsehood and propaganda.
“Though I’m just 42, the PDP would blame me even for the things, which had happened 60 years earlier or even at the time of independence. It seems the PDP leadership can’t digest the food without blaming Omar everyday,” he said.
Recalling that during 2010 summer unrest, the PDP leadership camped in New Delhi to convince the Centre that everything would be alright in Kashmir, If Omar Abdullah was shifted, he said the PDP had developed the habit of blaming him for everything.
He charged the PDP with sparing no effort during the current year also especially from February onwards to whip up emotional sentiments and divide the people on communal lines to create 2010 like unrest in the Valley.
Referring to recent MBBS scam involving former BOPEE chief Mushtaq Peer, he said the accused has been arrested and put behind the bars for his sinful act that exhibited the inhuman, dishonest, callous and most unscrupulous behaviour of corrupt officers, who do not care for the careers and lives of young children.
“They forget the doom’s day and the justice of Almighty. What reply they will give to the God for their sins”? he questioned and declared that his Government will take stern action against all such elements.
Omar lauded the people of Jammu and Kashmir for their help to restore tranquility and law and order in the State. He said it was the faith of people in him and their active role to help maintaining calm that the coalition Government was able to restore normalcy in the State. He said the present days are the most conducive days in the State in last 25 years.
“Peace is pre-requisite to the development and prosperity”, Omar said and appealed the people to play their important role in maintaining harmony between various sections of the society and the regions in the State. He asked the people to continue extending their support to him and his Government to seek prosperity.
On development front, the Chief Minister said that the promises made by the coalition Government are being fulfilled one after the other. “We have made new strides and laid edifice for peaceful and economically sound Jammu and Kashmir”, he said adding that though everything has not been achieved in full yet the march on road to progress is firm and the intension of Government to take the State to the new highs of prosperity and stability is sincere and clear.
The Chief Minister mentioned the works undertaken by his Government in Jammu district and said that during the last over 4 years, 2250 kilometers of roads have been blacktopped in the district besides upgrading 3500 kilometers to different stages of development. He said 1061 kilometers of new roads have been constructed in the district besides completing 50 small bridges at a cost of Rs 60.76 crores. He said six road projects at a cost of about Rs 70 crores under CFR are being executed presently.
He added that as many as 260 new schools have been opened in Jammu district during the last over 4 years while 46 middle schools have been upgraded to high school level and 243 EGS to primary school level. He said 1133 ReTs have been engaged and 459 EVs elevated as ReTs. He said 48 higher secondary buildings have been constructed in the district during this period.
Referring to financial status of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar said his Government has put special focus on the generation of indigenous hydro energy, which would give economic stability to the State. He added that presently the total income of the State by all resources is Rs 6500 crore while as the annual salary of Government employees has risen to Rs. 13,500 crore.
Apart from this, the State has to bear the electricity losses to the tune of Rs 2000 crore per year. “I am thankful to Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi for extending liberal financial support to the State to help its faster development and welfare of the people”, he said and wished the return of UPA Government once again at the Centre so that Jammu and Kashmir State would continue to get enhanced support for all round development.
Omar said that since power production is the choicest and best means for Jammu and Kashmir to achieve financial self-reliance as such his Government has started various mega, medium and small hydro electro projects in the State. He said during the last over 4 years projects of 1500 MWs have been launched in the State as against 750 MW projects constructed since independence.
On reaching Sangar, the Chief Minister was given rousing reception by the enthusiastic crowd. He was garlanded and showered with flower petals. The Chief Minister inter-acted with the people despite security constraints
In his address, Minister for R&B, Abdul Majid Wani highlighted the achievements of the coalition Government in various sectors of the development with special reference to the work done in the sector of R&B.
Earlier, welcoming the Chief Minister at the public meeting, NC’s provincial president for Jammu, Devender Singh Rana spelt out the long list of the path-breaking decisions and historic measures taken by Omar Abdullah to give new dimension to the development status of the State and empower people. He said the efforts of the Chief Minister for bringing peace and development in the State and addressing political issues are glaring and are yielding effective and far-reaching results for the State and its people.
Mr Rana said that the special focus given by Omar Abdullah to ameliorate the lot of youth in the State and open new vistas of development and job market for them have also started yielding tremendous results on ground. He mentioned the youth centric schemes of SKEWPY, UDAAN, HIMAYAT and entrepreneurship development and said that these historic initiatives would not only help to enhance orbit of employment for the youth but catapult the entrepreneurship development in the State.
He also mentioned the befitting and effective monitoring system put in place by the Omar Abdullah in the Government departments to ensure transparency and accountability. He also referred to the initiatives of Right to Information Act, PSGA, Accountability Commission, Vigilance Commission, 3rd Party Monitoring and other measures to strengthen the various institutions of the State and said that these historic steps are first of their kind in the State in 60 years.
Member Parliament, Madan Lal Sharma also spoke at the public meeting.
The construction of 170 meters span pre-stressed double-lane concrete bridge near Sangar Railway Station over River Tawi at Village Challana in Nagrota Assembly Constituency involved Rs 13.15 crore while its approach roads will cost Rs 5 crores. The bridge on its completion will provide connectivity to the villages of Sangar, Challana, Ballad, Pounthal, Budgah, Jakherry and adjoining hamlets benefiting over 40,000 souls.
The coming up of this bridge will reduce the distance from these areas to Jammu city by about 30 to 35 kilometers. It will also serve an alternate highway to Udhampur and Lakhanpur.
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