Abid Bashir
Jammu, Oct 19: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Saturday urged the party workers not to be annoyed as all efforts will be made to get back what has been snatched from the people.
“We are a UT but don’t be annoyed. We will get back what has been snatched from us,” Omar said addressing party workers in Jammu. Omar’s statement comes amid criticism from various quarters that NC has dragged its feet from the core demand of getting back the special status.
Omar said in the past people of J&K saw deputy chief minister from other parties and it was for the first time that a Hindu deputy chief minister had been choosen from the Jammu region. “This is a reply for those who used to target us by saying that NC is a party of dynasts only. What will they say today. Deputy CM Surinder Choudhary has no relation with me and my family,” Omar said. “Making Deputy CM was not a compulsion for me. My only motive was to convey to the people of Jammu that they have equal share in government as that of Kashmir. Today, we have a CM and Deputy CM from the same party. This is a reply to those who used to say that NC is a party for Muslims.”
Omar said that Congress has not decided on whether it wants some share in the council of ministers.
He said NC could have perhaps won more seats. The Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to independent candidates who won and right away extended support to NC. Omar said that elections were yet to be out and people started making statements that Jammu will face injustice as there will be no representative in the government. “From day one, I have been saying that I will take the people of Jammu along so that Jammu people don’t feel they have no share in the government,” he said.
Omar said the delimitation was done to benefit one single party and reservation was another move to ensure victory for one particular party. “But results are before you. These all moves failed. The steps taken by (BJP) took them to elections but couldn’t win elections for them,” he said.
He said winning elections was an easy thing but a “real task begins now.” “We have to minimise the peoples’ miseries and reduce the gap between people and the government,” Omar said, adding that “We have to serve people and resolve their issues.”
Omar said that in the past eight years, no stone was left unturned to remove NC from the political scene. “But our workers and leaders stood like a rock and defeated all designs against. NC is not a party of leaders but a committed cadre as proved in the recent elections,” he said. The Chief Minister said the government won’t act as per vote share but “keep the flock together.”
He said that directions have already been passed to the officers in Panchayats and DDC’s where peoples feedback wasn’t taken, should be reviewed.
Omar said when he lost Lok Sabha polls, he felt as if it was difficult for him to rise again. “But nature has its own principles. Many officers and friends would have thought about me that Khatam, Maklou, it’s over (for Omar). But today, the same people greet me in the morning, afternoon and evenings. Many ask me whether I had lunch. Many now text me, good night have a nice sleep…This is Almighty’s way of doing things,” Omar said. “But we should not feel proud of winning polls. The way people have given us the opportunity they can tomorrow punish us as well.”
Omar also reached out to the media fraternity stating that no iron-fist policy will be adopted for the media in J&K. “I will not punish you for writing against me. I will ensure the media remains free and works in a free and fearless atmosphere. I am aware that many journalists were not given accreditation and press cards. I will gradually resolve this discrepancy,” he said.
He urged media men to highlight wherever the government commits any mistake but at the same high also highlight the good work of the NC government.
