‘Condition of roads not good due to construction work’
*Pay for grant, land; then change University rules
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 2: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said construction of the bunkers in forward areas is underway but priority is to ensure that situation on the borders remains calm.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
In brief chat with media persons during his visit to twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, Omar said work is on for construction of the bunkers in border areas but, at the same time, our priority is to ensure that situation on the border remains calm. He added that both community and individual bunkers will be constructed.
Demand for both community and individual bunkers resumed following heavy Pakistani shelling in Poonch and Rajouri districts after Operation Sindoor by the Indian Armed Forces from May 7-10 in Pakistan and PoJK in which several terrorists were killed and military infrastructure and terror camps were destroyed.
Pakistan retaliated by shelling in forward areas of Poonch and Rajouri in which nearly 20 civilians were killed, many others were injured and houses were destroyed.
The Chief Minister, who reached Poonch via Mughal Road from Kashmir and then Rajouri on way to Jammu, said condition of roads in the Pir Panjal region is bad because of the ongoing construction works. Click here to watch video
Omar visited the residence of his party colleague and MLA Poonch Aijaz Jan to offer condolences on the death of his mother.
Asserting that condition of the roads is not bad because work is not going on, he said it is bad because the work is going on.
“The condition of the roads is not bad because work is not going on, the roads are in poor shape because the construction is on. Road-widening, four-laning, and tunnel projects are underway. Wherever tunnel work is going on, maintenance of the existing roads should be carried out,” he said.
The Chief Minister said he had seen the state of roads while travelling from Srinagar to Rajouri via the Mughal Road through Bafliaz and Poonch.
“I left Srinagar at 6.30 am and travelled via the Mughal Road. I have seen the condition of the roads,” he said, adding, he would take up the issue with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, as the roads fall under the Border Roads Organisation.
Meanwhile, Omar defended merit-based admissions to the Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME), saying seats cannot be distributed on the basis of religion under the Constitution.
Criticizing attempts to seek religious segregation in admissions at the college, he asserted that merit alone determines selection.
“If you want the distribution of seats on the basis of religion, then you must stop taking grant-in-aid and the land given free of cost – you must pay for both. Only then can you change the University rules to reserve seats for one religion. We will have no objection to that,” Omar said.
He said when the decision was taken to set up a Medical College at the University, it was already known that seats could not be distributed on the basis of religion.
“Approval was granted on the basis of NEET. The only criterion of NEET is merit,” the Chief Minister said.
He said those who secured admission through NEET are now being punished because of their religion. “Neither the law nor the Constitution permits this, nor does the policy of the University allow denial of admission on this basis,” he added.
Replying to a question on demolition of a journalist’s house on the outskirts of Jammu City, Omar said the matter was beyond his purview.
“I said it in Srinagar that it is not in our hands. Those who have appointed the officer and those who have taken such a step should be asked,” he added.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
