Omar hits back at Cong over ‘neglect of backward areas’ remark

RAMBAN: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today hit back at Congress for its statment on “neglect” of backward areas in the state, saying the party should scan its functioning rather than finding faults with National Conference.

“Instead of finding faults with others you (Congress leaders) should scan your own functioning,” Omar said.

“Tell me if you see damage in J&K due to NC what happened to you in rest of the country. It was not National Conference there,” Omar said.

In a veiled attack on Omar Abdullah government, senior Congress leader Gulam Nabi Azad had yesterday said that there was “utter neglect” of remote and backward areas in J&K since 2008.

“There is utter neglect and deprivation that the remote and backward areas like Gurez, Tangdhar and Lolab suffered till 2006. A concerted effort to develop these areas during my tenure as CM was made. However, the same script of neglect is being repeated since 2008,” Azad had said at public meetings in Gurez.

Azad served as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir from 2006 to 2008 before being succeeded by Omar Abdullah, who came to power as the head of a coalition government of National Conference and Congress.

Taking a dig at Congress leaders, Omar said, “You cannot hunt with hound and run with hare.”

He said when NC was campaigning for Congress candidates in Parliament elections, Congress saw everything good in it, now when the two parties were fighting elections separately, it is finding all faults in NC.

Showering praises over party’s Ramban candidate Chaman Lal Bhagat, Omar said he is an “honest” and “hardworking” person whose only aim is “to serve” his people sincerely.

Speaking on the occasion, Provincial President of the party in Jammu Devender Singh Rana asked people not to believe “propagandist” elements and extend their support to National Conference to ensure largescale development in all areas, particularly the hilly, backward and remote regions.

Exuding confidence that his National Conference will

retain power in Jammu and Kashmir, Omar said “day-dreaming by PDP” and BJP’s “Mission 44+ drama” will end up in oblivion.

“Day-dreaming by PDP and BJP’s Mission 44+ drama will end up in oblivion,” Omar said here, adding that no government is possible in the state without the participation of NC.

He said NC kept away from forming government in 2002 on its own decision otherwise it was in a position to form the government for being the largest party in the Assembly.

Omar today addressed public meetings at Hall and Shamthi in Ramban Assembly constituency in favour of party nominee Chaman Lal Bhagat.

The chief minister alleged that PDP was “spreading falsehood and baseless propaganda while the BJP was staging drama to create illusion and confusion among the voters”.

He said people of Jammu and Kashmir are wiser enough to read between the lines and understand the designs of these parties to create artificial hype for misleading public.

He said the so-called poll analysis and predictions have nothing do with ground reality and the reality is that the National Conference is going to win the elections comfortably.

Omar criticised the detractors of National Conference for circulating false propaganda against it and its government.

“By unleashing baseless misinformation campaign and covering the ground realities political parties like PDP want to belittle the huge achievements registered by the NC-led government in the state during the last over six years,” he said and appealed to the people to remain cautious against the vested interests and stand united against them.

“Those who tell you that this government has not done anything, ask them who constructed over 18,000 km of roads, 300 major bridges, hundreds of hospitals and health units, over a thousand schools, colleges, universities, technical institutions and ITIs,” he told the gathering.

Omar said his government made new strides in development sectors and enacted legislations to bring transparency and curb the chances of corruption. (AGENCIES)

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