Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Jan 25: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today rejected claims that the National Conference (NC) was demanding a separate Jammu State, saying the narrative was initiated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies in Kashmir.
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Responding to BJP leader Tarun Chugh’s statement that the party had no plans to create a separate Jammu state, Omar said it was “good” that the BJP now held that position. He said BJP leaders themselves had earlier fueled the demand. “It is good if they say they have no such plans, because they were the ones who initiated this. How many of their MLAs should I name who spread these rumors?” he said.
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He said the NC had opposed the division of Jammu and Kashmir from the beginning and maintained a consistent stand against any further bifurcation. “From the beginning, we did not want Jammu and Kashmir to be separated. They separated Ladakh and destroyed Ladakh. We believed Ladakh should be reunited with Jammu and Kashmir. It should never have been separated. We never wanted Jammu to be separated either,” he said.
The CM accused the BJP and its “friends in Kashmir” of running the campaign for a separate Jammu State. “The BJP and a couple of its friends in Kashmir were running this show. We were not,” he said.
The Chief Minister made the remarks during a visit to Gulmarg, where he reviewed snow clearance operations, power restoration efforts, and infrastructure related to winter tourism. Welcoming the recent snowfall after a prolonged dry period, Abdullah said it would benefit tourism and help avert a potential water crisis in summer. “January was completely dry. This snowfall will help tourism and prevent a severe water shortage in summer. Tourists were waiting for snow, and now they have started coming,” he said, adding that more snowfall was expected on January 26 and 27.
He also inspected the newly inaugurated ski drag lift at Khilanmarg, describing it as the longest and highest in Asia. He said some technical shortcomings were being addressed and directed officials to make it operational at the earliest. “There were one or two issues that were being fixed. I wanted to see it run before I left,” he said, adding that it should become operational within a few hours.
On the Khelo India Winter Games, Omar said the event should now be held in Gulmarg, citing adequate snowfall during Chillai Kalan. “Last year, we had to postpone it three times because there was no snow. This time, snowfall during Chillai Kalan will allow us to organise it properly,” he said.
Addressing power supply disruptions, the Chief Minister said electricity generation had dropped sharply due to snowfall and strong winds. “We were supplying around 1,700 megawatts earlier. It dropped to about 100 megawatts, but last night we crossed 1,500 megawatts again,” he said, adding that restoration in remote areas could take more time.
On allegations related to Civil Judge examination results, Omar rejected claims of regional or religious bias and said competitive exams were conducted purely on merit. “Everything cannot be seen through religion or region,” he said. He, however, added that any proven fraud would be investigated. “If there is evidence of cheating or fraud, I would investigate it myself,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday reviewed the condition of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and advised commuters to avoid non-essential travel over the next three days in view of the forecast of fresh snowfall.
Abdullah said snow clearance work was progressing at a rapid pace, and electricity has been restored in most areas affected by the recent spell of snowfall.
The chief minister, who spent the last three days in Kashmir to assess the situation following the snowfall, preferred to travel by road to Jammu, where he is scheduled to attend the main Republic Day function at Maulana Azad Road as the chief guest.
“I just paused to review the situation, and I also spoke with the MLA. Going forward, I will continue to assess the situation from time to time. It has snowed, and we were eagerly waiting for this snowfall. If there has been a little inconvenience, we will address it,” Abdullah told reporters in Banihal along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
He said Jammu and Kashmir had witnessed a severe drought after December, which has now been broken.
“This will help ensure there is no water shortage in the coming summer. Allah has answered our prayers, and we should be grateful to him,” he said. Referring to the problems faced by commuters following the closure of the highway on Friday before it was partially reopened on Sunday, he urged people to avoid travel on January 26, 27, and 28 unless absolutely necessary.
“Our effort will be to reopen the highways as quickly as possible, but as I said, if there is no urgency, please stay home to avoid getting stranded,” he said.
He said the entire Jammu and Kashmir is currently facing electricity shortages because the available power supply is insufficient to meet the demand, leading to scheduled power cuts.
However, he said the electricity transmission and distribution system has been significantly strengthened.
“Over the next one to two years, the administration aims to completely eliminate power shortages, ensuring a reliable and uninterrupted power supply for all residents,” he said.
Regarding the state budget, he said it will be presented on February 6. “Our effort will be to present a people-friendly budget, just as we did last time,” he said.
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