Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 25: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today that the wars and ceasefire violations between India and Pakistan and gun culture were no solution to any problems including Kashmir, which can be solved by only through peace and talks. He said this was the first general election in Pakistan in which no party made Kashmir an issue providing ground for resumption of bilateral dialogue between the two countries, which would directly benefit Jammu and Kashmir.
Omar also voiced “deep anguish’’ over spot-fixing in Indian Premier League (IPL) and surfacing of some big names in the betting saying he wouldn’t watch tomorrow’s IPL Season- 6 final between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings being held at Kolkata. He said his father and Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr Farooq Abdullah shouldn’t accept the post of the BCCI chief, which, he added, should be held by a sportsperson.
Speaking to reporters and addressing a public meeting at Chak Mohammad Yaar, about two kilometers from RS Pura town this afternoon, Omar said there had been three wars between the two countries, the ceasefire violations and gun culture were going on for last 25 years but they haven’t solved any problem.
“The solution lies in the theory of Gautam Buddha, whose birth anniversary we are celebrating today. It (the solution) would come through peace and dialogue,’’ he said.
Noting that this was for the first time that the issue of Kashmir was rightly put on backburner by all political parties of Pakistan in the general elections held there recently, the Chief Minister said it has provided an opportunity to India to engage in dialogue with the neighbouring country.
“This was for the first time that Kashmir was not on agenda of Pakistan political parties and rightly so this opportunity should be cashed by the Indian Government to engaged in talks with the new Government there and resolve the issues,’’ he said.
Omar said the “good or bad relations’’ between India and Pakistan had “direct bearing’’ on the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
“If relations between the two countries are good, we are the beneficiaries…the people living on the borders are beneficiaries but if the relations are not good, both the State and its people suffered,’’ he added and stressed upon India and Pakistan to create conditions for talks for the sake of peace in Jammu and Kashmir. He pointed out that development and economic conditions of the State also depended upon good and bad relations between the two nations.
“When borders are peaceful and calm, people carry on their routine activities in the forward areas smoothly and in tension-free atmosphere. However, the tension on borders and in relations between the two neighbours disturb peace and tranquility besides telling upon badly on economic activities and development process in the State,’’ Omar said.
He exuded confidence that healthy change observed in the mindset of Pakistan politicians during the recent general elections would be taken forward and freeze on political issues between the two countries will melt and positively emerge in their relations fast with the coming to power of new dispensation in the neighbouring country.
Worthwhile to mention here that PML-N chief Nawaz Sharief has gained absolute majority in Pakistan general elections.
Omar said that Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh has initiated various initiatives in building confidence between the two countries and expressed hope that he would continue his efforts towards this end. He also hoped that the new Government in Pakistan would exhibit similar friendly spirit towards confidence building and resolving of issues peacefully.
The Chief Minister said that Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed dark period of violence adding that bloodshed and disturbances have inflicted great loss to life and property and marred the process of development and economy welfare severely.
Later, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the public rally, Omar said he is not keen to watch the final of IPL in view of recent spot fixing, which had dented the image of cricket.
“Not as a politician but as a cricket lover, I am not interested in watching the IPL final,” Mr Abdullah said. The final is scheduled to be played between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings at Kolkata tomorrow.
The Chief Minister said scams unearthed day by day in cricket left dent on its lovers and fans of various cricketers besides the sportspersons. “If IPL have to survive, it need to be cleaned down,’’ he asserted.
The Chief Minister refused to comment on BCCI Chief N Srinivasan whether he should stay or not on the post.
However, without naming the main opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party, Omar questioned its silence on the IPL fixing racket saying the party, which had been in the forefront in demanding resignations of (former) Railways Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and (former) Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, were silent on this issue.
Disfavouring suggestions to make his father and Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr Farooq Abdullah as the new BCCI chief in place of N Srinivasan, Omar said sports bodies should be administered by sportspersons and not by politicians.
Replying to a question on former IPL chairman Lalit Modi’s suggestion to make Farooq as the BCCI chief, he said: “I am not in favour of that.”
“I am personally of the view that sports bodies should be administered by sportspersons — that is the great favour we can do to the sportspeople,” he told reporters here.
“I have anyway been counseling my father that he has enough responsibilities before accepting more,” Omar said.
“Leave sports to sportspersons and politics to politicians,” he observed.
He said that greed for money has brought dishonour, disrespect and disrepute to those allegedly involved in this unwholesome affair.
Referring to the demand raised by National Conference leaders Taranjit Singh Tony and Romesh Motton for creation of two blocks in RS Pura tehsil, Omar described the demand as genuine and declared that an additional administrative block would be created in RS Pura before the next Assembly elections.
Highlighting the teaching of Lord Buddha that ‘desires give gloom’, the Chief Minister said that this and the lessons of non-violence and creating evil-free society, taught by Lord Buddha are equally relevant today.
He said that desires and the lust for accumulating more and more wealth and property makes the human beings indulge in corruption, dishonesty, malpractices and illegal means of amassing money.
The Chief Minister appreciated the people of border areas including those living in R S Pura and adjacent villages for their sacrifices and role in war and peace situations.
Minister for Planning and Development, Ajay Sadhotra, NC provincial president, Jammu, Devender Singh Rana, MLC former Minister and MLA Surjit Singh Slathia, Rashpal Singh, MLA Dr Shahnaz Ganaie, MLC, Taranjit Singh Tony, Romesh Motton and Dr Kamal Arora besides other party leaders were present in the public meeting.
Meanwhile, Omar said talks are being held with the Centre to bestow the title of martyr on Chamel Singh, who died in Kot Lakhpat Rai jail of Lahore in Pakistan and to award a compensation to his family.
“Talks are being held with Centre”, Omar said while replying to the question whether Chamel would be bestowed title of martyr and a compensation be provided to his family at par with those given to the kin of Sarabjit Singh of Punjab, who died after a brutal assault in Pakistani jail.
Family members of Chamel have demanded that he should also be bestowed with the title of a martyr and a compensation on the pattern of Sarabjit’s family.
Chamel, who hailed from a border hamlet of Pargwal in Akhnoor belt of Jammu, was beaten to death in Pakistan’s Kot Lakhpat jail on January 15 this year and his body was brought back here on March 13.
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