CM holds public outreach programme
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 13: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that Israel’s attack on Iran is not justified and urged world powers not to remain silent on the matter.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
Speaking to reporters before attending his monthly outreach program at Raabita office here, Omar said that if Russia attacking Ukraine is considered “wrong,” then Israel waging war against Iran is equally unjustifiable.
“As far as I know, there was no reason for Israel to carry out attacks on Iran or to wage war on the country. Israel termed it a ‘pre-emptive strike’, but that doesn’t justify the action,” he said.
The Chief Minister said it would be “unfortunate” if world powers remained silent on Israel’s actions, especially given their strong response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Israel did what Russia did to Ukraine. The global powers raised their voice against Russia and launched a campaign condemning it. But when Israel attacked Iran, the world powers-whether Europe or the US-went silent. If it was wrong for Russia to attack another country, then Israel’s attack on Iran is equally unjustified,” he said.
Omar warned that the Israeli attack would escalate tensions and have immediate repercussions for the country in various ways.
“It will have an immediate impact on us-on fuel prices, the stock market, and flights going west. More than that, it affects the sentiment of the people,” he said.
The CM also urged India’s Ministry of External Affairs to take immediate steps for the safety of Kashmiri students in Iran, stating their families were anxious amid the rising tensions.
In a post on X, he wrote: “Requesting @MEAIndia to urgently ensure the safety and well-being of Kashmiri students currently stuck in Iran. Every step must be taken to safeguard our students.”
Regarding the Ahmedabad flight crash, Omar termed the incident unfortunate and noted that the Dreamliner aircraft had never previously met with such an accident.
“Only one person survived. So far, we do not know whether any doctor or student was among the casualties on ground. We express our sympathy with the families of the victims and the crew, and we hope the cause of the crash is identified so that such incidents do not happen again.”
Meanwhile, the CM today held a public outreach programme at his Raabita office where he listened to a wide range of issues and demands raised by individuals and delegations from across Jammu and Kashmir.
Director of IIT Jammu, Manoj S. Gaur, called for support to the Venture Fund created by IIT Jammu aimed at promoting socio-economic development in the region.
A delegation of the Kashmiri Language Union raised concerns regarding the promotion of the Kashmiri language, urging greater institutional support for its development.
A delegation of Revenue Officers submitted a memorandum seeking the reorganization of the Revenue Department and its wings across various departments, with demand for better conditions and structured career progression for Revenue cadre officers.
Similarly, a delegation from Industrial Estate Pampore, led by its president, flagged several issues pertaining to the functioning and development of the estate.
A deputation from the J&K OBC Resident Welfare Forum highlighted various concerns of the OBC community in Jammu & Kashmir.
Representatives from the Bharat CSR Network met the Chief Minister to discuss potential tourism promotion initiatives.
A delegation from Animal Rescue Kashmir raised issues regarding the welfare and rescue of animals, requesting institutional support and awareness for their cause.
Candidates appointed under SRO-120 of 2018 called for resolution of pending compassionate appointment cases, while another delegation being considered under the Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme (2022) also highlighted similar concerns regarding pendency in compassionate appointments.
A deputation of “Voice of Weekly Newspapers” from Kashmir brought to light issues faced by weekly newspaper publishers in the region.
Besides these, numerous individuals and other delegations met the Chief Minister and apprised him of their grievances and demands.
The Chief Minister gave a patient hearing to all deputations and assured them that their genuine issues would be addressed on priority.
Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani and other senior officials were also present during the programme.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
