Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, Sept 9: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today urged Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to send special trains to the Valley to carry essential goods and transport fruit to markets across the country, while also demanding compensation for widespread losses caused by recent rains, landslides, and highway closures.
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Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Omar said relief must reach all those affected by the disaster. “We expect that wherever there has been a loss, after assessing that loss, the compensation that should be given will be received,” he said.
He noted that the region has faced “all kinds of losses,” including deaths in Kishtwar and near Mata Vaishno Devi, along with damage to land, houses, shops, Government structures, and crops. “Especially in these days, we are seeing that the crops have suffered a lot, both agriculture and horticulture. And unfortunately, the result of the highway being closed for so many days has been that where there has been no loss of crops due to the rain, the goods are rotting in the trucks,” he said.
The Chief Minister stressed that farmers whose harvested fruit spoiled in stranded trucks must also be compensated. “Now, when it comes to compensation, then those people will also have to be compensated whose harvested fruit has rotted in the trucks,” he said.
Omar appealed for immediate rail connectivity. “We are trying, and I will again request the Rail Minister that our track be open. If two or four special trains leave from here so that we can deliver the necessary goods from Jammu to Kashmir, and especially if we can get the fruit out of here, then I think people will get a little relief,” he said.
The Chief Minister also criticized the use of the Public Safety Act (PSA) against a legislator, Mehraj Malik, calling it harsh and damaging to democracy. “What has he done for PSA? I do not understand such a strict law. If the MLA has made a mistake, it can be rectified in the Assembly under the supervision of the Speaker. A law like PSA should not have been imposed against him. This will reduce the trust of the people in democracy,” he said.
He accused authorities of targeting innocent people while ignoring those who “played with our religious sentiments” and disturbed the environment in Hazratbal. “Innocent people are being harassed here; they are being called to the Police Stations, and they are being interrogated. But for those who ruined the environment, there is no action against them,” he said.
The Chief Minister also questioned delays in filling vacant Rajya Sabha seats from Jammu and Kashmir, saying the lack of representation is hurting the State. “We will vote and then see what the result will be. What else can we do? Our votes are only less. Because I do not understand, it has been 11 months since our Assembly elections. Why are our seats empty today? If we had four more votes, our voice would have been stronger there. We could have spoken,” he said.
He added. “The money that MPs get from CDFs and MPLADs would have been used here. I do not understand. Why are the Central Committee and the Election Commission taking revenge on us because our Rajya Sabha elections are not happening? Our votes are less in Lok Sabha. But let us put our vote there.”
Asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, Omar said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had already visited Jammu and Kashmir. “We are satisfied with the fact that at least the Central team is coming here. And we hope that we will complete our work as soon as possible,” he added.
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