Jammu: Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Omar Abdullah on Saturday accused the state government of deliberately allowing dilution of Article 370 that gives special status to the state.
Speaking during the debate on grants to the Home Department in State Assembly, Omar Abdullah accused the state government of not defending the state’s interest during the SARFAESI ACT petition in the Supreme Court.
The National Conference leader alleged that the state government did not deliberately defend its case in the apex court and thereby allowed the dilution of Article 370.
Omar warned that such a situation should not arise again as the state has a battery of lawyers who know the state constitution well and can defend it.
“Don’t blame us tomorrow if we take up this issue as these are very sensitive issues,” he cautioned the government.
He said two years is enough time to make impact and the state government that has been in power for two years cannot hide under the excuse that it got little time so far to make an impact on ground.
“Tell us about one point that showcases your performance and achievements,” Omar asked.
He also castigated the state government for turning down the Opposition demand for a judicial probe in 2016 unrest killings.
“Why constitute an SIT and not have a judicial probe,” Omar questioned.
“In our time one person (Haji Yusuf) died and you demanded a judicial probe,” he added.
The former Chief Minister said his party had never been against the agenda of the PDP and the BJP alliance or its contents.
“We only raised questions on government’s failure to implement the agenda of the alliance.
“You are not following the agenda of the alliance, but facilitating Ajit Doval’s (NSA) doctrine.
“He delivered a speech in 2010 and what he said is what you are doing right now. He spoke about how the state should deal with Kashmir to marginalise the separatists and how to suppress the agitation,” he alleged.
He said the two things could not go together. “Either you implement the agenda of the alliance or implement Ajit Doval’s doctrine because there is no meeting point between the two,” he said.
Omar also lashed out at Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti’s last year’s speech in which she had asked the security forces to differentiate between local and foreign militants during an encounter.
“In one of your speeches you said that the police should play a fatherly role if the trapped militant is a local.
“Tell me how to implement that? How will you find out that the terrorist trapped is a local and not a foreigner? Have you got any technology for that,” he asked Mehbooba Mufti.
Omar Abdullah also criticised the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, saying that Modi spoke about ‘Kisan aur Jawan’ in his speeches and today the ‘Kisans’ are committing suicide while the ‘Jawans’ are being attacked by terrorists.
–IANS