LoP dares CM to resign, seek fresh mandate on statehood issue

Srinagar, Sep 1: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Sunil Sharma on Tuesday asked Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to resign and seek a fresh mandate from the people on the issue of statehood.
Talking to reporters here LoP Sharma, said, “If you have moral courage, ethics and values, resign and fight the elections in the name of statehood. Fight the elections only on the issue of statehood and let the people of Jammu and Kashmir tell you where you stand.”
He said, “If Omar Abdullah has the courage, he should resign and seek a fresh mandate from the people on the issue of statehood,” Sharma said.
Sharma also questioned the National Conference’s mandate in the Assembly elections, saying the party had sought votes on issues other than statehood. “You fought the elections in the name of 35-A and now you are talking about statehood. If statehood is your priority, then fight the elections again,” Sharma said.
The LoP also alleged that the government is trying to divert attention from the employment concerns of youth by focusing on the statehood issue.
He said around 25,000 youth were being affected by the outsourcing of jobs, alleging that contractors were being engaged for recruitment instead of established agencies. “Today contractors are hiring doctors, today contractors are hiring paramedical assistants. There is no merit seen there,” he said.
Reacting to the National Conference’s announcement of a peaceful gherao of BJP headquarters in Srinagar and Jammu on September 2, LoP Sharma called the move “unfortunate” and alleged that it is aimed at diluting the BJP’s planned protest.
Sharma also said the BJP would go ahead with its protest on Wednesday and announced a gherao of the Civil Secretariat over the employment issue. “Our protest will go on as per schedule. We will protest tomorrow against the jobs that are not being given to the youth and the NC’s protest on the same day is unfortunate and an attempt to divert the attention of the people from the real issues,” he said. (KNO)