New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday rejected reports of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) presence in the state.
While speaking to mediapersons in the national capital, Omar said there was no presence of ISIS in Kashmir and the organistation’s flag was waived by some foolish youngsters. “If some youngsters are waving ISIS flag that doesn’t mean that the terror outfit has any presence in the Valley,” Omar asserted.
Omar, who was in the Delhi today to meet Home Minister Rajnath Singh, said his government had not ignored the ISIS flag issue.
Giving his side of the story, Omar maintained: “Unfortunately some media channels in J&K aired and flared the footage showing some youngsters waving the ISIS flag, and tried to drag me into the controversy as if my government isn’t doing anything.”
“There have been three instances where the ISIS flag has been waived in the Valley and in all instances FIRs have been filed and arrests been made. Media saying that the ISIS flag issue is being ignored is incorrect,” the J&K CM added.
Security agencies went into tizzy after some ISIS flags were seen during Eid celebrations last week.
There have been security concerns in Kashmir after masked men carried ISIS flags after Eid celebrations last week. Security agencies are still searching for those involved in the rally at the Idgah Maidan.
The ISIS, that is currently waging war against the US-led coalition Army in the Middle East, has called to arms Muslims around the world. Last month, a video of an Indian-born jihadist had emerged, where he had called his fellow countrymen to join him.
Expressing the ruling Jammu and Kashmir National Conference party’s reservation on the merits of holding polls in the flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir, Omar questioned the timing of conducting polls in the state and stated that the Election Commission should judge the merits of holding elections at such a time.
“As far as the state government is concerned, we have drawn a distinction between whether we can have elections and whether we should have elections. We are in the position to hold them. In terms of our ability to have them we can have them. You have to draw the distinction as to whether this is an opportune time to do that or not, that is for the Election Commission to decide,” Abdullah told media persons.