Don’t rush out on Art 35-A, Art 370, Omar Abdullah tells New Delhi
Says GoI must wait for SC’s verdict
Srinagar: Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the GOI should repose its faith in the Apex court of the country and refrain from bullying the people of the state with the unwarranted and intimidating threats on annihilating the Art 35-A and Art 370.
Addressing a workers convention in Eidgah constituency in Srinagar Omar said that the untenable advisories emanating from the administration have created fear psychosis in the state in particular the Kashmir region.
“People in the valley are going through anxiety in wake of the rumor mongering set afloat by the administration. Whoso ever goes to government offices is being warned to stock necessary household items and other edibles before 15 August. Here what is worrisome is that the rumors are being set afloat by the people in administration itself. The rumor mongering has created panicky and fear psychosis among the people,” he said adding, “People are being told to stock ration, fill their automobiles, and switch to land lines. The news that the police stations have been told to acquire bulldozers is also keeping the rumor mill churning. People have become anxious. What is it that the present government wants to achieve by spreading such rumors,” he questioned.
Omar said that on one hand the GOI and the state administration is boasting off the improvement in the situation in the state following a steep decline in the militant attacks, stone pelting in the valley.
“But on the other hand undue rumors are being spread by the administration itself that the state will once again be on fire after 15 August. What is it the government of India and the state wants to achieve by bullying people? It is not New Delhi that suffers whenever situation is difficult in the state. It is the people of Kashmir that bear the direct brunt of tumultuous situation. The statements emanating from Union ministers, hinting towards the abrogation of Art 35-A after the 15 August, have also kept the rumor mills churning. The people are becoming restive,” he said
Omar said the petitions pertaining to Art 35-A and Art 370 are sub-judice and that the GOI should wait for the final verdict.
“Do they not believe in the final decree of the supreme court of India? Contrary to the disdain the incumbent central government has for the rule of law and the procedures established by the law of country, our party has reposed its faith in the Supreme Court. The matter is sub-judice therefore it should be kept aloof from politicking. I would appeal GOI to refrain from commenting on the issue unless the final verdict comes,” he said.
“Today we are hearing that the state will be trifurcated. However, let me make it very clear that any misadventure in this direction will set the state on fire. Any anticipated trifurcation of the state won’t limit itself to regions. Any whimsical attempt to trifurcate the state will eventually divide the state on religious lines. In those circumstances the state will be divided on Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist lines,” he said.
“What is it that the New Delhi wants to suggest by proposing such far-fetched ideas. What do they want to suggest? Do they want to assert that the people’s decision of joining the union of India was wrong? Do they want to suggest that the “two nation theory” is right? Do they mean the struggle of Sher e Kashmir against two nation theory was wrong? Do they mean that the Slogan of Sher e Kashmir on Hindu-Muslim unity was erroneous? If yes let them come forward and make it public. As far as our party is concerned we reject any idea of diving the state on religious and regional lines, our vision of Jammu and Kashmir is shorn of communal, regional overtones. We stand for a united state, with equitable justice for all the sections of society living across the state. We will safe guard the prized diversity of our state come what may,” he added.
Rejecting the intemperate rants of the Governor against politicians regarding corruption he said, “Let him come up with a penny of evidence in this matter against us. I am convinced that he won’t be able to come up with anything against us. Our conscience is clear, we are not afraid of anything; let the governor come up with any irregularities, if any. We never went to Delhi to seek any thing for us. We always went to Delhi to seek help for our people. We didn’t barter our values. Let them constitute a commission,” he said.
KV Correspondent
