National Conference (NC) vice president and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday conceded defeat to Independent candidate Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, in the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency in North Kashmir. In a social media post, he said it was “time to accept the inevitable” as the voters have spoken.
Tag: Omar Abdullah
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Anantnag-Rajouri Election To Be Postponed? Omar, Mehbooba Voice Concern On ECI’s Query |
Former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir – Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah today urged the Election Commission of India to not postpone the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha polls. The two leaders’ remarks came after the Election Commission of India wrote to the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir and the Chief Electoral Officer of the region seeking a report about the constituency and the need for postponing the polls. The ECI wrote to the state election officer after several political parties including the BJP, Apni Party, and J&K Peoples’ Conference wrote to the ECI demanding the postponement of the polls citing adverse road conditions and inclement weather.
Responding to this, both Omar and Mehbooba wrote to the ECI, alleging that the BJP and its A, B, C teams are sensing defeat and thus making excuses regarding weather conditions. PDP chief and Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency candidate Mehbooba Mufti accused the BJP of attempting to sabotage the electoral process in the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency.
Mufti stated, “The BJP and other parties who have ganged up against me want to prevent me from reaching Parliament. The support I’m receiving from people across party lines in both the Kashmir and Jammu regions is making these parties fearful of my influence among the people, prompting them to write to the ECI to defer the polls for the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat.”
Mufti further asserted that the demand is entirely illogical as only a few days remain until the polls. She appealed to the ECI not to postpone the polls for the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency under any circumstances, stating, “This action would convey the wrong message, eroding trust in the electoral process and resulting in serious consequences.” Mehbooba Mufti wrote a detailed letter to the ECI demanding that the polls for the Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary constituency not be deferred.
NC Vice President Omar Abdullah addressed a press conference at the party headquarters in Srinagar over the issue opposing the postponement of the polls. “When they sense that the NC has the upper hand and the establishment-backed candidate is losing, they resort to these tactics. We have witnessed this in the past as well; when the former CM’s brother was on the verge of losing and the Anantnag elections were postponed, then no elections happened. The BJP and partner parties, along with the ECI, are attempting to do the same, citing the Mughal road problem.”
Abdullah added, “Some parties among those who have written this letter have nothing to do with these elections since they haven’t fielded a candidate, such as the People’s Conference and the BJP. Should I write a letter tomorrow for some seat in South India to have it deferred?”
Abdullah further said that if the polls are deferred, the NC will take the matter to court. “The ECI must instruct the administration to keep the roads open. I’ve been CM, and I know that machinery and manpower can keep the Mughal road open,” he stated.
Inclement weather conditions have led to frequent closure of the Mughal Road, which connects the Anantnag and Rajouri areas of J&K. Mufti also held a roadshow through the Mughal Road yesterday. In the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency, all paperwork is complete, with 21 candidates contesting the polls while voting is slated to take place on May 7th, in the third phase.
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Jammu & Kashmir administration a stumbling block to assembly election as they are ruling with no accountability: Omar Abdullah
Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah on Monday said that the administration in the union territory sabotaged the decision of holding Lok Sabha and assembly elections here concurrently.
Abdullah while addressing a rally in Noorabad area of southern Kashmir started the party’s election campaign urging people to come out to vote in large numbers to reject the ‘loot, deception and injustice’ done on August 5 2019.
“ECI is on record saying that political parties wanted simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections…these officers ruling here without any accountability sabotaged the process citing security reasons,” alleged Abdullah. He referred to the officers posted here as ‘uncrowned kings’ who are ‘passing laws and giving land and contracts to outsiders at their own will.’ The last assembly elections in J&K were held in 2014, when BJP-PDP formed a coalition government, which fell in 2018, when BJP withdrew its support. Since then J&K is without any elected government. “They claim that the situation has improved in J&K and stone pelting, guns and separatism has ended. If everything is fine then why didn’t you allow conducting assembly elections with Lok Sabha elections,” Abdullah asked. The NC leader said that ECI is also on record saying that elections will be conducted before September, 2024. “From October, there will be no rule of Raj Bhawan or Delhi or the parliament or any of these officers from outside. People of J&K will elect their representatives and decide the policies of who will get the land here, who will get the contract and who will come from outside,” said Abdullah.
The NC leader urged people to vote in Lok Sabha elections terming it as a ‘semi-final’ before the assembly elections in J&K. “This is an important and first big election after August 5, 2019, when our constitution, flag, identity and honour was snatched from us. We have to convey through our vote that we are ready to fight for our rights and will beat the forces who are attempting to rob our land and snatch our jobs,” said Abdullah.
The NC is a part of INDIA bloc, however, they have repeatedly asserted that they will fight on all three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir division. The BJP is aiming to make inroads into the Valley through trans-Pir Panchal Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, which has a sizable Gujjar-Bakerwal and Pahari population. “Despite changing the map of Anantnag constituency by connecting Rajouri-Poonch with Anantnag of southern Kashmir which is a step towards implementing Dixon Plan, people won’t vote for the BJP or any of its proxies, as they know what they are doing in the rest of the country,” said Abdullah. He accused the BJP of following theBritish policy of divide and rule. “BJP wants Kashmir to fight with Jammu, Hindu with Muslims, Gujjar with Paharis to ensure that somehow they win this Anantnag seat. But people are aware enough to make the right decision through their vote,” said Abdullah.
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BJP lost moral ground to stand before people of Kargil: Omar Abdullah
By PTI
KARGIL: The BJP has lost its moral ground to stand before the people of Kargil post-bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah said on Saturday.
Addressing a rally here and Drass ahead of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Kargil election on October 4, he slammed the BJP for not giving representation to the Muslim community and making its MP Ramesh Bidhuri in charge of Tonk district in poll-bound Rajasthan instead of taking action against him for his “anti-Muslim speech” in Lok Sabha.
Abdullah said that for the first time since Independence, there is not a single Muslim minister in the Central government even though the community constitutes 14 per cent of the country’s population.
“They are showing their hatred towards Muslims openly. They need to answer questions before coming here asking for votes,” Abdullah said.
“They have lost the moral ground to stand before the public. Women are not allowed to wear hijab at will and we all know that. I want to ask those who are contesting elections in the name of BJP in Kargil, do they also have the same thought?” he posed.
Expressing confidence about a landslide victory in the election, he said, Groundswell of support for the National Conference is making the ruling party nervous and jittery.
The NC leader attacked the Ladakh administration, saying that “these people tried hard to stop” the party candidates from using the plough, its poll symbol, but in vain.
“A vicious attempt was made to wipe off the National Conference from Ladakh and even claims were made by BJP MP (Jamyang Tsering Namgyal) that they have uprooted the party’s (NC’s) symbol (plough).”
“It is not so easy and cannot be done in haste as the people of Kargil have centuries-old family and blood relations with the people in Kashmir,” he said.
The NC and the Congress are fighting the election together.
“We (the NC and the Congress) are fighting together to send a strong message to the people in the country that what happened on August 5, 2019, was undemocratic and based on injustice. With people’s support, we are going to win the polls and they (BJP) are panicking which is evident by the way they are using every means to keep our candidates away from the public. Even my security was taken away on reaching Zero point,” the NC vice president said.
Referring to the court battle over the restoration of his party’s symbol in the Kargil polls, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said that with time, people may forget MPs but the NC symbol will remain because it is in the hearts of the people.
“First, they faced defeat in the high court and again at the division bench of the High Court. But these people did not stop there, they reached the Supreme Court, but there also they faced the same music,” Abdullah said.
On September 6, the Supreme Court set aside the August 5 notification of the election department of the Union Territory of Ladakh for the hill council polls and ordered the issuance of a fresh election schedule.
It held that the National Conference is entitled to the ‘plough’ symbol and dismissed a plea by the Ladakh administration opposing the allotment of the symbol to the party and imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on it.
The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court had earlier dismissed the Ladakh administration’s plea against a single bench order allowing NC candidates to contest the upcoming polls for LAHDC, Kargil, on the party symbol.
Abdullah, who was accompanied by his two sons and other senior party colleagues, alleged that he had to leave his security at the Zero Point en route to Kargil on the directions of the authorities to address the public meeting.
He said this was his third visit to Kargil after the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories Ladakh and J-K.
“This is the first time that I had to leave my security at Zero Point. I do not have any grudge as I know they (BJP) are panicking. I know the people are with us and we have full faith in the Almighty.
” The National Conference claimed that Abdullah’s security was stopped at Zero Point near Mini Marg — the entry point to Ladakh on the Srinagar-Leh Highway.
“Ladakh UT administration’s cowardice was seen today when J-K NC Vice President Omar Abdullah’s convoy was stopped at Zero Point Mini Marg and his security was not allowed to proceed,” the party said in a statement.
It also alleged that the party vice president was “forced” to move ahead without security for his two-day visit to Kargil.
At the rallies, Abdullah said the people of Ladakh have lost much after getting the Union Territory status as they cannot have their own MLAs, MLCs, ministers and Rajya Sabha members while “people from outside” are ruling them.
He said the National Conference pleaded before the Supreme Court against abrogation of Article 370 and “now we are waiting for its decision and praying daily that all which was taken away from us gets restored”.
When asked by reporters about the INDIA alliance, Abdullah said, “Last time also we fought the polls together. Now, we are a part of the INDIA alliance and when the seat sharing will be talked about, we will surely discuss this with the Congress party.”
To a question about the installation of smart metres in Jammu and Kashmir, he said the government was only trying new tactics to harass people.
“I do not understand where from have the smart meters come. First, they talked about digital meters and said they were the best. They forced everyone to install them. When the people installed digital meters, then smart meters came and no one has yet understood how they work,” Abdullah added.
KARGIL: The BJP has lost its moral ground to stand before the people of Kargil post-bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah said on Saturday.
Addressing a rally here and Drass ahead of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Kargil election on October 4, he slammed the BJP for not giving representation to the Muslim community and making its MP Ramesh Bidhuri in charge of Tonk district in poll-bound Rajasthan instead of taking action against him for his “anti-Muslim speech” in Lok Sabha.
Abdullah said that for the first time since Independence, there is not a single Muslim minister in the Central government even though the community constitutes 14 per cent of the country’s population.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
“They are showing their hatred towards Muslims openly. They need to answer questions before coming here asking for votes,” Abdullah said.
“They have lost the moral ground to stand before the public. Women are not allowed to wear hijab at will and we all know that. I want to ask those who are contesting elections in the name of BJP in Kargil, do they also have the same thought?” he posed.
Expressing confidence about a landslide victory in the election, he said, Groundswell of support for the National Conference is making the ruling party nervous and jittery.
The NC leader attacked the Ladakh administration, saying that “these people tried hard to stop” the party candidates from using the plough, its poll symbol, but in vain.
“A vicious attempt was made to wipe off the National Conference from Ladakh and even claims were made by BJP MP (Jamyang Tsering Namgyal) that they have uprooted the party’s (NC’s) symbol (plough).”
“It is not so easy and cannot be done in haste as the people of Kargil have centuries-old family and blood relations with the people in Kashmir,” he said.
The NC and the Congress are fighting the election together.
“We (the NC and the Congress) are fighting together to send a strong message to the people in the country that what happened on August 5, 2019, was undemocratic and based on injustice. With people’s support, we are going to win the polls and they (BJP) are panicking which is evident by the way they are using every means to keep our candidates away from the public. Even my security was taken away on reaching Zero point,” the NC vice president said.
Referring to the court battle over the restoration of his party’s symbol in the Kargil polls, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said that with time, people may forget MPs but the NC symbol will remain because it is in the hearts of the people.
“First, they faced defeat in the high court and again at the division bench of the High Court. But these people did not stop there, they reached the Supreme Court, but there also they faced the same music,” Abdullah said.
On September 6, the Supreme Court set aside the August 5 notification of the election department of the Union Territory of Ladakh for the hill council polls and ordered the issuance of a fresh election schedule.
It held that the National Conference is entitled to the ‘plough’ symbol and dismissed a plea by the Ladakh administration opposing the allotment of the symbol to the party and imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on it.
The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court had earlier dismissed the Ladakh administration’s plea against a single bench order allowing NC candidates to contest the upcoming polls for LAHDC, Kargil, on the party symbol.
Abdullah, who was accompanied by his two sons and other senior party colleagues, alleged that he had to leave his security at the Zero Point en route to Kargil on the directions of the authorities to address the public meeting.
He said this was his third visit to Kargil after the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories Ladakh and J-K.
“This is the first time that I had to leave my security at Zero Point. I do not have any grudge as I know they (BJP) are panicking. I know the people are with us and we have full faith in the Almighty.
” The National Conference claimed that Abdullah’s security was stopped at Zero Point near Mini Marg — the entry point to Ladakh on the Srinagar-Leh Highway.
“Ladakh UT administration’s cowardice was seen today when J-K NC Vice President Omar Abdullah’s convoy was stopped at Zero Point Mini Marg and his security was not allowed to proceed,” the party said in a statement.
It also alleged that the party vice president was “forced” to move ahead without security for his two-day visit to Kargil.
At the rallies, Abdullah said the people of Ladakh have lost much after getting the Union Territory status as they cannot have their own MLAs, MLCs, ministers and Rajya Sabha members while “people from outside” are ruling them.
He said the National Conference pleaded before the Supreme Court against abrogation of Article 370 and “now we are waiting for its decision and praying daily that all which was taken away from us gets restored”.
When asked by reporters about the INDIA alliance, Abdullah said, “Last time also we fought the polls together. Now, we are a part of the INDIA alliance and when the seat sharing will be talked about, we will surely discuss this with the Congress party.”
To a question about the installation of smart metres in Jammu and Kashmir, he said the government was only trying new tactics to harass people.
“I do not understand where from have the smart meters come. First, they talked about digital meters and said they were the best. They forced everyone to install them. When the people installed digital meters, then smart meters came and no one has yet understood how they work,” Abdullah added.
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Bharat Jodo Yatra should not be used to whitewash past: Omar Abdullah
By PTI
SRINAGAR: National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the Congress should not allow former minister Chaudhary Lal Singh, who had supported the rapists in the Kathua rape-and-murder case, to participate in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which is scheduled to enter Jammu and Kashmir on January 19.
“The Congress will have to look into it that some people might try to use the yatra to whitewash their past. We have not forgotten the role played by those leaders who tried to save the rapist. The way they hurt the sentiments of people is not hidden from anyone,” Abdullah told reporters here.
The former chief minister was responding to a question about whether the Congress should allow the participation of leaders like Singh, who had come out in support of the rape accused while being a minister in the PDP-BJP government.
On other issues, Abdullah said retrieving land provided to people under the Roshni scheme will be a big betrayal to them.
“The Roshni scheme brought by then state government (in 2001) was passed by the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council. After that, it was approved by the Governor. No court rejected this scheme. It will be a fraud with the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the land rights vested under Roshni will be taken back because it was the poor farmers of Jammu who benefited the most from this scheme as they converted the leased land into freehold land,” he said.
ALSO READ | Rahul Gandhi should apologise to J-K people before Yatra enters UT: BJP
Opposition parties have protested a recent order of the J&K administration regarding the eviction of encroachers from state land, including those handed out under the Roshni scheme.
“The government should review this decision,” Abdullah said, adding if the retrieval of state land from illegal occupation does not cause problems for the common masses, he had no problem with it.
Under the Roshni scheme, occupants of state land were vested with proprietary rights against nominal fees paid to the government. While occupants in Jammu got rights for over 28,000 hectares, such area in Kashmir was much less than just 1500 hectares.
The NC leader said these drives were actually an attempt to divert the attention of the people from the real issues.
“I feel all this is being done to harass the people because they have not been able to improve the situation which is evident from Rajouri attacks and arming of VDCs,” he added.
SRINAGAR: National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the Congress should not allow former minister Chaudhary Lal Singh, who had supported the rapists in the Kathua rape-and-murder case, to participate in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which is scheduled to enter Jammu and Kashmir on January 19.
“The Congress will have to look into it that some people might try to use the yatra to whitewash their past. We have not forgotten the role played by those leaders who tried to save the rapist. The way they hurt the sentiments of people is not hidden from anyone,” Abdullah told reporters here.
The former chief minister was responding to a question about whether the Congress should allow the participation of leaders like Singh, who had come out in support of the rape accused while being a minister in the PDP-BJP government.
On other issues, Abdullah said retrieving land provided to people under the Roshni scheme will be a big betrayal to them.
“The Roshni scheme brought by then state government (in 2001) was passed by the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council. After that, it was approved by the Governor. No court rejected this scheme. It will be a fraud with the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the land rights vested under Roshni will be taken back because it was the poor farmers of Jammu who benefited the most from this scheme as they converted the leased land into freehold land,” he said.
ALSO READ | Rahul Gandhi should apologise to J-K people before Yatra enters UT: BJP
Opposition parties have protested a recent order of the J&K administration regarding the eviction of encroachers from state land, including those handed out under the Roshni scheme.
“The government should review this decision,” Abdullah said, adding if the retrieval of state land from illegal occupation does not cause problems for the common masses, he had no problem with it.
Under the Roshni scheme, occupants of state land were vested with proprietary rights against nominal fees paid to the government. While occupants in Jammu got rights for over 28,000 hectares, such area in Kashmir was much less than just 1500 hectares.
The NC leader said these drives were actually an attempt to divert the attention of the people from the real issues.
“I feel all this is being done to harass the people because they have not been able to improve the situation which is evident from Rajouri attacks and arming of VDCs,” he added.
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J&K: Farooq Abdullah re-elected National Conference president
By PTI
SRINAGAR: Farooq Abdullah was re-elected president of the National Conference (NC) for another term on Monday.
The 85-year-old leader was unanimously elected the party’s chief at the NC’s delegate session held near the mausoleum of party founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah at Naseem Bagh here. The day also marked the 117th birth anniversary of Sheikh Abdullah.
NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar said only Abdullah’s nomination was received till the last date of filing the nominations.
“A total of 183 proposals from Kashmir, 396 from Jammu and 25 proposals from Ladakh were received in support of Farooq Abdullah,” Sagar said.
The senior leader had recently expressed a desire to step down from the post owing to his health.
The party then set the presidential election process into motion and said the new president would be elected at the party’s delegate session.
It said the party’s internal elections had already been concluded. The last NC presidential elections took place five years ago.
‘Let people decide’
Speaking at the event, the octogenarian said boycotting the panchayat polls in 2018 was “a huge mistake” and the party must contest every future election in Jammu and Kashmir.
“I want to tell the party that boycotting the panchayat elections (in 2018) was a huge mistake. Remember this, we will not boycott any coming election. Instead (we will) contest and win them,” he said.
Referring to his son Omar Abdullah’s announcement that he would not contest elections as long as Jammu and Kashmir remained a Union Territory, the senior Abdullah said, “As party president, I am telling you (Omar Abdullah) that you have to contest the election.”
“Because if we have to fight them, then we all have to jump into the fray and contest elections,” he added.
The former Union minister said the BJP “will do anything, even make attempts to buy your loyalties, but God will fail all their designs.”
Abdullah also warned the security forces and the government not to interfere in the elections in Jammu and Kashmir and said “let people decide whom to vote for.”
“Otherwise there will be such a storm, which you will not be able to control,” he said.
Abdullah also threatened to launch an agitation in case such a thing occurred. “We will be ready to sacrifice our lives. Farooq Abdullah will be the first to start an agitation over it,” he said.
SRINAGAR: Farooq Abdullah was re-elected president of the National Conference (NC) for another term on Monday.
The 85-year-old leader was unanimously elected the party’s chief at the NC’s delegate session held near the mausoleum of party founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah at Naseem Bagh here. The day also marked the 117th birth anniversary of Sheikh Abdullah.
NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar said only Abdullah’s nomination was received till the last date of filing the nominations.
“A total of 183 proposals from Kashmir, 396 from Jammu and 25 proposals from Ladakh were received in support of Farooq Abdullah,” Sagar said.
The senior leader had recently expressed a desire to step down from the post owing to his health.
The party then set the presidential election process into motion and said the new president would be elected at the party’s delegate session.
It said the party’s internal elections had already been concluded. The last NC presidential elections took place five years ago.
‘Let people decide’
Speaking at the event, the octogenarian said boycotting the panchayat polls in 2018 was “a huge mistake” and the party must contest every future election in Jammu and Kashmir.
“I want to tell the party that boycotting the panchayat elections (in 2018) was a huge mistake. Remember this, we will not boycott any coming election. Instead (we will) contest and win them,” he said.
Referring to his son Omar Abdullah’s announcement that he would not contest elections as long as Jammu and Kashmir remained a Union Territory, the senior Abdullah said, “As party president, I am telling you (Omar Abdullah) that you have to contest the election.”
“Because if we have to fight them, then we all have to jump into the fray and contest elections,” he added.
The former Union minister said the BJP “will do anything, even make attempts to buy your loyalties, but God will fail all their designs.”
Abdullah also warned the security forces and the government not to interfere in the elections in Jammu and Kashmir and said “let people decide whom to vote for.”
“Otherwise there will be such a storm, which you will not be able to control,” he said.
Abdullah also threatened to launch an agitation in case such a thing occurred. “We will be ready to sacrifice our lives. Farooq Abdullah will be the first to start an agitation over it,” he said.
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BJP using diversionary tactics as it failed to provide justice to people in Jammu and Kashmir: Omar Abdullah
Omar Abdullah said his party will scuttle every attempt of the BJP and will safeguard the rights of the people to start a new phase of development, once it returns to power.
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Gupkar should unitedly contest J&K polls: Omar
Express News Service
SRINAGAR: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Wednesday suggested that the five-party Gupkar Alliance should form a united front to contest the forthcoming Assembly polls in the Union Territory to “keep the BJP and its A and B teams at bay”.“I personally suggest that the Gupkar Alliance should unitedly contest the forthcoming Assembly polls in J&K. If they seek my advice, I would suggest that we unitedly contest the polls,” Omar told reporters on the sidelines of his party’s youth convention in Srinagar on Wednesday.
He said Gupkar Alliance should not allow the BJP and its “A and B teams” to create division of votes.“However, it is my suggestion. The decision has to be taken by Gupkar Alliance. What decision they take, I don’t know,” Omar said. Another former CM Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP is also in favour of Gupkar Alliance fighting the upcoming Assembly elections in unison.
A PDP leader said his party is in favour of Gupkar parties unitedly contesting the Assembly polls. He said the alliance contesting unitedly and forging tactical understanding with Congress is the only way out to keep the BJP out.
In Jammu, according to the PDP leader, Congress is the only party that can take on BJP. “Neither PDP nor NC can take BJP head-on in Jammu. Congress is the only party that can pose a challenge there, and Valley-based parties should enter into a tactical understanding with the Congress.
Reacting to Omar’s suggestion, BJP spokesman Altaf Thakur termed it another ploy to continue the “family rule” in J&K. “It is clear that Omar and his party are unnerved by Prime Minister Narendera Modi’s recent mega rally in Samba. Now he is afraid of the growing acceptance of BJP and Modi in J&K,” Thakur said.
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‘The Kashmir Files’ far from truth: Omar Abdullah breaks silence on Vivek Agnihotri film
By PTI
SRINAGAR: The National Conference on Friday broke its silence on ‘The Kashmir Files’ saying while the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits was a “stain on Kashmiriyat”, the movie was far from the truth as the film makers have ignored the sacrifices of the Muslims and Sikhs who had also suffered from militancy.
Vice President of the party and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah said that if ‘The Kashmir Files’ was a commercial movie, no one has an issue, but if the film makers claim that it is based on reality, then the facts are the other way round.
“When the unfortunate incident of Kashmiri Pandit migration took place, Farooq Abdullah was not the chief minister. Jagmohan was the governor. It was V P Singh’s government at the Centre which was supported by the BJP from outside,” Abdullah told reporters in Damal Hanji Pora of Kulgam district of South Kashmir.
Abdullah wondered why this fact was kept away from the movie.
“Don’t manipulate the truth. It’s not the right thing.”
“If Kashmiri Pandits have fallen victims to terrorism, we have utmost regret about that, but let us not forget the sacrifices of Muslims and Sikhs who were also targeted by the same gun,” he said.
Abdullah said that some of those from the majority community were yet to return.
“Today, there is a need to create an atmosphere where we could bring back all those who had left their homes and not create a communal divide,” he said.
The former chief minister said an atmosphere would be created for the return of Kashmiri Pandits.
“But I do not think that those people who have made this movie, want them (Kashmiri Pandits) to return. Through this picture, they want Pandits to remain outside always,” he said.
Abdullah later took to Twitter and said, “The pain and suffering of 1990 and after can not be undone. The way Kashmiri Pandits had their sense of security snatched from them and had to leave the valley is a stain on our culture of Kashmiriyat. We have to find ways to heal divides and not add to them.”
While replying to one of the tweets by a Kashmiri Pandit about the reasons for a long silence, Abdullah reminded him saying “I’ve been saying it for years now, both as CM and out of office. Perhaps you weren’t paying attention to what I was saying then. I’ve been a long time advocate of a Truth and Reconciliation commission to look in all that happened from 1990 onwards.”
During his tenure as the chief minister, Abdullah had advocated setting up of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to go into the events unfolding since the onset of militancy.
Earlier, in his address, Abdullah said attempts were being made to defame a community across the world.
“A common Kashmiri is not happy with what happened 32 years ago, that people were made to leave the Valley. Today, an impression is being created that all Kashmiris are communal, that all Kashmiris do not bear the people from other religions. What will be achieved by this? Will it make the road easier for their return? “I am afraid that the hatred which is being created against Kashmiri Muslims today, God forbid, our children studying outside the state, should not bear its brunt,” he said, adding, it is the duty of the governments across the country to ensure the security of Kashmiris, including the students staying in other states and union territories.
On the prevalent political situation, Abdullah said there was no truth in what was being projected by the Centre in Jammu and Kashmir and across the country.
“We were of the opinion that the ground situation will witness a marked improvement with time. But the situation is worsening with each passing day. We haven’t come across any effort to bridge the gaps of mistrust. On the contrary, we unfortunately see how an entire community is being denigrated,” he said.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks “Dil aur Dilli ki Doori” made during the all-party meeting last year, the NC leader said instead of reducing the ‘doori’ (gap), “There is an attempt to defame the entire nation of Kashmir across the country.”
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‘The Kashmir Files’ far from truth: Former J&K CM Omar Abdullah
By PTI
SRINAGAR: The National Conference on Friday broke its silence on ‘The Kashmir Files’ and said the movie was far from the truth as the movie makers have ignored the sacrifices of the Muslims and Sikhs who had also suffered from militancy.
Vice President of the party and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah said that if ‘The Kashmir Files’ was a commercial movie, no one has an issue, but if the film makers claim that it is based on reality, then the facts are the other way round.
“When the unfortunate incident of Kashmiri Pandit migration took place, Farooq Abdullah was not the chief minister. Jagmohan was the governor. It was V P Singh’s government at the Centre which was supported by the BJP from outside,” Abdullah told reporters in Damal Hanji Pora of Kulgam district of South Kashmir.
Abdullah wondered why this fact was kept away from the movie.
“Don’t manipulate the truth. It’s not the right thing.
“If Kashmiri Pandits have fallen victims to terrorism, we have utmost regret about that, but let us not forget the sacrifices of Muslims and Sikhs who were also targeted by the same gun,” he said.
Abdullah said that some of those from the majority community were yet to return.
“Today, there is a need to create an atmosphere where we could bring back all those who had left their homes and not create a communal divide,” he said.
The former chief minister said an atmosphere would be created for the return of Kashmiri Pandits.
“But I do not think that those people who have made this movie, want them (Kashmiri Pandits) to return. Through this picture, they want Pandits to remain outside always,” he said.
Earlier, in his address, Abdullah said attempts were being made to defame a community across the world.
“A common Kashmiri is not happy with what happened 32 years ago, that people were made to leave the Valley. Today, an impression is being created that all Kashmiris are communal, that all Kashmiris do not bear the people from other religions. What will be achieved by this? Will it make the road easier for their return?”
“I am afraid that the hatred which is being created against Kashmiri Muslims today, God forbid, our children studying outside the state, should not bear its brunt,” he said.
During his tenure as the chief minister, Abdullah had advocated setting up of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to go into the events unfolding since the onset of militancy.