Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 8: Former Chief Minister and working president of the opposition National Conference, Omar Abdullah today said that he is happy not to see Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed of 2002 around and called the People’s Democratic Party-Bhartiya Janta Party (PDP-BJP) Government as U-turn Government.
Addressing his first press conference after his party’s defeat in last year’s Assembly elections, Omar today released the “report card” of PDP-BJP Government in J&K: “100 Days of the U-Turn Government” saying that he is much happier now, than the day Assembly results were declared in December last year.
The former Chief Minister expressing happiness over what he said failure of the Mufti led PDP-BJP Government said: “I am happy not to see Mufti of 2002 around.” Commenting on the performance of the 100 days of new government, he said: “I am much happier now. Then I was distressed.”
While referring to various Opinion Polls during last year’s Assembly polls, the NC leader said that these gave his party 5-7 seats but “we won 15 and helping two other Independents to win”. “I was happy then as I managed to win my own seat as well,” he said.
Omar said that the PDP-BJP Government has done “biggest possible U-Turns” during the 100 days in office. “Ahead of elections, PDP would say only they could stop BJP and BJP would claim of stopping family rule in J&K and later on both did U-Turns and formed a coalition Government,” he said.
The NC working president said that the first days of PDP-BJP Government has seen systematic series of U-Turns. “On the first day of his government, Mufti Sayeed credited Pakistan and then separatists for success of elections and on the floor of Assembly taking back his statement and gave credit to Election Commission and security forces,” he said.
The former Chief Minister said that both the parties had promised that they will keep mum on Article 370 but every day another BJP politician speaks about abrogation of this Article and this is another U-Turn.
The NC leader said that the Government has done U-Turns on AIIMS establishment as well. “First CM said that AIIMS would be established in Kashmir and then a Minister in PMO said that AIIMS will first come up in Jammu,” he said adding that his party, “has been saying it from day one that AIIMS for Valley is most welcome but demands AIIMS for Jammu on the pattern of Central University.” “Show me one statement coming from our Jammu unit which has opposed establishment of AIIMS in Kashmir”, he asked.
Giving his solution to AIIMS establishment problem, Omar said: “Establish AIIMS in both the regions and solve the issue.”
Omar said that the biggest U-Turn Mufti Government did is on the relief and rehabilitation of flood victims of Valley. “Mufti would claim of huge flow of money while fixing deal with BJP. Only thing which this Government did is it rubbed salt on wounds of flood victims”, he said.
Commenting on Rs 9000 crore deficit in State treasury, Omar said: “PDP would always allege that NC Government is missing on ground and doing nothing; when we did nothing why is there a legacy of such an amount,” he said adding, “this essentially means that we worked on developmental side and it resulted in the deficit.”
“No new Government starts afresh but they take on legacy they inherit from the previous Government,” he said referring to Rs 9000 crore deficit which PDP allege is “worst thing they inherited from NC-Congress Coalition”. “But new Governments do not complain,” he added.
The former Chief Minister appealed Government of India to come forward and help the people of the State. “Please announce a special package for State which includes Rs 44000 crore flood relief, development of employment, health sector and tourism”, he said.
Omar said that PDP-BJP Government is doing same thing rather compounding it what his Government did vis-à-vis the prisoners. “We were expecting something different from them but they did the same what we did. Mufti Government is doing same what I did; rather they are compounding it. Mufti went a step ahead of me and sent Masrat Alam to Kotbhalwal jail”, he added.
When asked about the number of political prisoners during his Government, the NC leader said: “When I was in Government, Mehbooba Mufti would blame us that thousands of political prisoners are in jails and now same number has changed to 16.”
The NC leader said that the release of Masrat Alam was highly publicised. “Mufti beat the drum of battle of ideas but now people with different ideas are sent to jails,” he said. He refused to comment further on Afzal Guru hanging. “I have nothing to say more on Afzal Guru hanging,” he said.
Omar said that his Government has been replaced by a Government which is unable to do anything.
The NC working president asked the Finance Minister, Haseeb Drabu to swallow ego and pride and beg for the relief package which his Government submitted to Union Government last year. He said that it has been prepared by the same officials which are at the helm of the Mufti led Government. “The assessment was done by same Chief, Planning, Revenue and other Secretaries and if it is wrong why are these officials continuing in the Government then,” he asked.
“If our assessment wrong, give us the other figure,” he said referring to Rs 44000 crore flood package his Government had submitted to Narendra Modi led Government last year. “Every Government is well within its right to reject figures but they have to give their numbers as well.”
Referring to his tenure, Omar said: “In first six months of my Government, I would beg in Delhi and successfully got money. But the present Finance Minister on the floor of Assembly said that he will stop this begging bowl syndrome and let not himself nor his CM to beg before Delhi,” he said. “This way, Finance Minister has made all of us beggars”, he said.
The NC leader suggested Finance Minister to go to Delhi and “beg money for people”. “If they can’t go themselves, I will accompany them,” he said saying that the Finance Minister needed to understand that J&K is not financially sound and is in dire need of special packages.
When asked about whether he believes that certain quarters are needed to be taken on board before going for decision on removal of AFSPA, Omar replied: “Unless you get Union Ministry of Defence and Army on board, no one can remove it.”
The Former Chief Minister ridiculed the PDP on the promise of removing of the controversial law within 100 days of coming to their power. “As I said there have been series of U-Turns by PDP and AFSPA removal claim is one among them,” he said. “First they leaked as PDP has been only leaking than substantiating their claims that once they will come to power AFSPA will go in first 100 days.”
Omar said that PDP changed its statement saying that they will get a ‘particular date’ for its removal and now, “they are saying Union Government will take the final call”.
The NC leader said that the controversy over waiving of Pakistani flags in Kashmir is creation of media. “You (Media) people come to us and ask for our comments on different things; stop coming to us these things shall stop,” he said referring to debates on news channels on flag hoisting.
“Phenomenon of flags is not new but it suddenly happened with coming of this government,” he said referring to his tenure as Chief Minister saying: “We witnessed hoisting of Pakistani flags and these incidents have huge consequences on Kashmir tourism.”
Omar said that National Conference has been at the forefront in highlighting and using the symbols associated with the State of Jammu and Kashmir. “As a citizen, Engineer Rashid has a right to unfurl state flag on June 7,” he said adding that NC doesn’t need lessons from him. “It is a lesson for PDP and state government which issued an order in March directing State authorities to use state flag and withdrawing over night”, he said.
“Can we ask this Government on the completion of 100 days in office about the enquiry it had promised to hold in State Flag Order issue,” he said. He further said that the matter about using State Flag is in High Court and still pending. “Let us wait for the decision”, he said.
Replying to queries on the evacuation of people of a particular community from certain pockets of Jammu forests, Omar said that his party “would be happy to support Government in clearing the illegal occupation of forests in State”. “If state government wants to put in place systematic reclamation illegally occupied forest land, we would support it but they are not doing it,” he said.
The former Chief Minister said that with PDP-BJP forming coalition in State the divide between Jammu region and Kashmir valley is only furthering. “As PDP has no stakes in Jammu, BJP has nothing to lose in Valley, so if this dispensation continues, the divide will deepen in State.” He said that both his party and Congress have stakes in both the regions and don’t subscribe to devisive politics.
Omar said that the Central Government failed the people of Jammu and Kashmir particularly post floods. “I am glad that other part of Kashmir did not accept help from Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said adding: “I was standing next to him when he offered help to both parts of Kashmir. If they would have accepted the offer they would have been only waiting.”
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