Srinagar, (UNI) Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Vice President of National Conference Omar Abdullah on Monday questioned why the centre’s ruling coalition spearhead BJP is “so scared” of holding Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir.
“If Urban Local Bodies (ULB), Panchayat and Parliament elections could be held here, why not assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, ” Omar told media persons here.
Omar wondered why the BJP was “running away” from conducting the Assembly elections. “Why they are so scared..come to the field and face the people, will see who is standing where,” he dared the BJP.
Asked about the National Conference’s preparations for the urban local body elections, Omar said let the administration announce the polls and talk accordingly. “We will get ready when the ULB elections are announced,” he said.
Regarding the “Hal” symbol in Ladakh Hill Development Council elections, Omar said that the Ladakh administration at the behest of the BJP was time and again knocking the doors of courts against the symbol.
“We want our party symbol. We want to contest the election on our own symbol. Why does the Ladakh administration have an objection to it”, he questioned.
He said: “We went to the high court where a single bench decided in our favoUr. Later they (the administration) filed a 300-page petition in the division bench where we also became victorious. Now we have come to learn that they are going to file SLP in the Supreme Court.
“Why the symbol of National Conference in the election of Ladakh Hill Development Council elections became a big issue…Our lawyers are ready to fight the case in Supreme Court and will get a victory there too”, he added.
He said the struggle against this government (BJP) has become our habit now.
To another question on the LG’s statement that leaders have killed 50,000 people here for their own interest, Omar said those who have shown the wrong path to the people..only they are responsible. Who brought the gun here, he questioned.
He said that the national conference has made the most sacrifices after the security forces during all these years in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Our office is filled with the photographs of those who have become the victims of bomb blasts, grenade blasts, mine blasts and bullets during the past 35 years”, Omar said.
“LG Sahab has just arrived here yesterday and will leave, ask my family members and friends who have seen the destruction during all these years”, he added.
He said: “We know how much effect the gun has had on the families here. We said right from the first day that the people of Jammu and Kashmir were misled by the gun and they nurtured wrong dreams. Those dreams remain as they were but graveyards were filled here, the streams were filled with the blood during all these years”.
“LG has not said anything new which we are not aware of,” he added.
“The gun was never a positive factor for the development of Jammu and Kashmir. It is total destruction”, Omar said and added “As I have told you that after security forces if anybody has seen the most destruction that was the National Conference, thousands of whose people sacrificed their lives during these 35 years”.
Regarding Mishal Malik, the wife of Liberation Front Chief Mohammad Yasin Malik’s becoming Pakistan minister, he said “What we have do with her”.
“Did we elect our ministers at the behest of Pakistan? If we are not electing our ministers on the behest of Pakistan, why are we hoping that they will decide their ministers on our saying?” he questioned.
“It is the internal matter of Pakistan, what we have to do with it,” he said.
Regarding the alleged Chinee aggression in Ladakh, Omar said “What PM and Rahul Gandhi said about China’s aggression in Ladakh I don’t know as I have not been to Ladakh for a long time. I cannot say anything about the ground reality of Ladakh” .
“Rahul Gandhi is in Ladakh and it is evident that he might have heard from his followers about the Chinese aggression he could explain it better…I cannot say anything on it”, he added.
