Amir Tantray
Kathua, Aug 7: Ahead of the Election Commission’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference (NC) Vice President and former chief minister of erstwhile J&K state, Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the notification must be issued with regard to the assembly polls and that the government cannot run away from returning statehood here.
Omar said that they have been preparing for the elections and now the EC is visiting J&K, “we only want a notification from them regarding elections and we want them to treat every party equally and a level playing field should be ensured to everyone here.”
Reacting to the query about ‘Naya J&K’, Omar said that it is only visible inside the Parliament where nothing has changed on the ground here.
“We have seen destruction. In terms of the security situation in Pir Panjal, Chenab Valley and Jammu, the footprints of militancy are seen everywhere,” he added.
Furthermore, he said that besides the price rise, the electricity system has deteriorated, unemployment is highest. “We were promised many things five years ago but no promise has been fulfilled till date,” Omar said while talking to the reporters on the sidelines of the function at Nagri area of Kathua.
“At present, the powers are with the Lieutenant Governor LG but the government can’t run away without returning Statehood to J&K. They have promised to return to full statehood after holding elections here,” he said.
Earlier, while addressing a rally, Omar said, after 2018, people have been deprived of the elected government here and after 2019, things changed altogether as the constitutional relations with the country were changed.
“Article 370 didn’t become a hindrance for Chenab and Birlas to open industry here. They perhaps opened the biggest textile industry in J&K and Article 370 had nothing to do with that. Article 370 didn’t become a hindrance to open factories in Samba and Bari Brahmna but when we ask them to show us something new after abrogation of Art 370, which would have provided employment to youth, there is nothing with them to show,” he said.
“I can say with all the authority that in 2014 the situation in which we left Kathua district does not exist anymore. What we get is information of firing from everywhere. Be it Pir Pranjal, Chenab Valley or Jammu, our soldiers are being told to sacrifice their lives,” he said.
However, he said that Jammu & Kashmir was the only place in India where Dalits had land rights.
