STATE TIMES NEWS
Srinagar: Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on PDP-BJP coalition in Jammu and Kashmir, alleging the people of the state have overwhelmingly rejected the “failed alliance of opportunism”.
“The PDP-BJP government’s biggest indictment was the complete indifference of the people towards the never-ending government formation theatrical performance between PDP and BJP.
“People of the state have stopped wondering and talking about government-formation. This is not only a serious and loud indictment of the PDP-BJP alliance and its failed government but also poses a risk to the future of institutional democracy in a state like Jammu and Kashmir that has been ravaged by political turmoil and uncertainty and where cynicism has long-term consequences,” Omar told reporters during a tour of his Beerwah Assembly segment in central Kashmir. Praising the Governor’s administration, he said it had become clear beyond any doubt that the PDP-BJP government had withheld flood relief and development funds for 10 months of its rule to “persecute the people of the state who have overwhelmingly rejected the failed alliance of opportunism”.
“The Governor’s administration has released a certain amount of money for flood victims, undertaken dredging of Jhelum on a war-footing and resumed work on stalled developmental projects that were initiated before the PDP-BJP alliance took over.
“Since there was no new inflow of funds from New Delhi, it goes on to prove that the PDP-BJP government had deliberately suffocated the state, depriving people of development and relief,” the NC working president said.
He said the people voted in large numbers and today they stand “disillusioned and disenchanted” while PDP and BJP continue to “deprive” the state of an elected government despite being in an alliance they term “sacred”.
Condemning the profiling and harassment of students from Jammu and Kashmir in Kolkata and recently at Mewar University in Rajasthan, Omar said the onus was on the central government and the state governments concerned to halt this “apparently institutionalised policy” of profiling students from the state on one pretext or the other.
“You cannot arrest students on the suspicion or allegation of consuming beef and then send the meat for forensic tests rather than arresting the culprits who beat these students up.
“Students from Jammu and Kashmir cannot be mistreated and harassed in such a brazen fashion and I demand the central government should direct all state governments to ensure not a single student from the state feels unsafe, harassed and discriminated against,” he said. Omar said he took up the issue with the chief ministers of West Bengal and Rajasthan and got an assurance from the West Bengal government.
“I took this issue up with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and she has assured me that her government is committed to the safety of our students there,” he said, adding “I have also brought this to the notice of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje and asked her why our students have been arrested based on mere allegations after being beaten up and assaulted.”
During his visit to Beerwah, Omar reviewed the progress of various developmental works in the constituency and interacted with numerous public delegations in his constituency office.
He also released Rs 20 lakh for macadamisation of various roads in the constituency.
Will Mehbooba chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai
JAMMU: Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has once again taken dig at PDP-BJP alliance over their ideological differences. Amidst uproar over chanting of Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Abduallah has asked the BJP if the party will ask its alliance partner Mehbooba Mufti to chant the slogan.
Taking to Twitter, Abdullah wrote, “Is Mehbooba Mufti also going to be asked to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai as a condition for government formation in J&K?”
