Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 11: The National Conference (NC) today said that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has told Home Minister Amit Shah that Sopore and Kathua-like incidents will only “alienate” the people of J&K.
Speaking to reporters, NC chief spokesperson and MLA Zadibal, Tanvir Sadiq, said that during the recently held meeting-the third in a row-the CM urged the Home Minister to conduct a time-bound inquiry into these incidents.
“No innocent person should be killed. In this regard, CM Omar met the Home Minister and raised concerns about the Kathua and Sopore incidents, stating that such instances would alienate the people of J&K,” he said.
Tanvir stated that the J&K Government cannot get “directly” involved in the matter, as law and order, as well as Home Affairs, fall beyond its jurisdiction.
“If the Centre wants to set things right and take people along, the CM has stressed the need for a time-bound inquiry into these incidents. We have raised the matter at the highest level and are actively pursuing it,” he said.
The NC spokesperson emphasized that innocent lives should not be lost and that public support is crucial to improving the situation in Kashmir.
After meeting the Home Minister, Tanvir said the CM spoke to the media about the issues he raised, including Statehood, the budget, and governance-related concerns.
He added that the delay in the restoration of Statehood has left several matters unresolved, with many areas facing “dual control” issues.
“Statehood should be restored to ensure swift resolution of these issues. The key to addressing these challenges lies in restoring statehood, and we hope it happens soon,” he said.
On reports of a possible NC-BJP Alliance, Tanvir dismissed them as “baseless.”
“We have always opposed the BJP’s policies and what they did in 2019. The Chief Minister does not need any arrangement to meet with the Home Minister,” he asserted.
Regarding PDP’s Iltija Mufti, Tanvir said she had “made a mockery of herself” and should learn to respect senior politicians and party workers.
He also accused her party of enabling the events of August 5, 2019.
“Her mother and grandfather were responsible for what happened in 2019. Had we retained statehood, we would have been in a better position to handle incidents like Kathua and Sopore,” he claimed.
On MP Engineer Rashid’s custody parole, he welcomed the move, stating that Rashid has the right to represent his people and attend Parliament.
Responding to BJP’s accusations that Omar-led Government has failed to deliver on its promises, Tanvir countered by saying that despite their own assurances, the BJP Government has not addressed the issue of unemployment.
“If they expect us to deliver, they should first help in restoring statehood. Beyond politics, the people of J&K need healing,” he said.
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