Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Jan 10: National Conference vice president and former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, today criticized the Election Commission of India (ECI) for its failure to decide on the Assembly election in J&K, leading the Supreme Court to issue directions.
Speaking to the media after his overseas trip, Omar asserted that the ECI should apologize to people for neglecting its responsibilities.
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“ECI needs to be ashamed; the Government did not make a decision; the ECI did not take action, prompting the Supreme Court to intervene and issue directives on the conduct of elections in J&K before September 2024,” he expressed.
Omar questioned the inconsistency in applying democratic principles to J&K despite, he said, India being hailed as the mother of democracy.
He lamented the delays in various elections, suggesting that holding Parliamentary elections in J&K seemed like a compulsion for the Government. “It is unfortunate that even for the conduct of Assembly elections, the SC had to issue directions.”
As general elections approach, Omar disclosed that the National Conference has yet to start finalizing candidates for the Parliamentary elections.
He emphasized, “The party has not convened to discuss or finalize candidates, and we will evaluate potential candidates when the process begins.”
Expressing his personal opinion on Dr. Farooq Abdullah’s candidacy, Omar stated, “For me, Dr. Farooq should run, but the final decision rests with the party.”
On seat sharing in J&K under the INDIA bloc for the Parliamentary elections, he disclosed that no discussions have taken place yet, but when they do, the process won’t take much time based on the number of seats in J&K as well as Ladakh.
Regarding the recent agreement for J&K to supply electricity to Rajasthan, Omar categorically opposed it, asserting, “It is loot; the project is ours; water is ours, and the power is ours; it has happened when the people are not getting ample electricity, and everything is being done in the name of smart metering and payment of bills; let there be elections, even if we have to go to the SC, we will not let the power supply from Kashmir to Rajasthan.”
Commenting on the upcoming inauguration of the Ram Mandir, Omar played down its significance, stating, “It’s not the first or last inauguration. It concludes there. I won’t provide a political response, and I haven’t been invited; those who were meant to be invited likely have received their invitations.”
Addressing the controversy of certain States being excluded from the tableau display on January 26, Omar argued that the event should not be politicized, suggesting a review of the decision to exclude opposition-led State Governments.
“It is an event for the people of this country; we accept that giving every State a chance every year is not possible, but keeping only the Governments of the opposition parties out is a move that needs to be reviewed.”
On the derogatory remarks by Maldivian Ministers about PM Narendra Modi, Omar deemed it unacceptable, aligning with the principles of former Prime Minister Vajpayee in advocating for good relations with neighboring countries.
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