Omar, Mehbooba spar over Tulbul navigation issue

Srinagar, May 16: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti on Friday entered into a verbal brawl on X, formerly Twitter.
The Chief Minister slammed Mehbooba over her remarks on Tulbul navigation barrage project, accusing her of “pleasing” some people across the border.
In response to a post by Mehbooba Mufti on X, CM Omar said that the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) has been one of the biggest historic betrayals of the interests of the people of J&K. “I have always opposed this treaty & I will continue to do so,” Omar said.
“Actually what is unfortunate is that with your blind lust to try to score cheap publicity points & please some people sitting across the border, you refuse to acknowledge that the IWT has been one of the biggest historic betrayals of the interests of the people of J&K,” he said.
He added that he has always opposed this treaty and will continue to do so. “Opposing a blatantly unfair treaty is in no way, shape, size or form warmongering, it’s about correcting a historic injustice that denied the people of J&K the right to use our water for ourselves,” he said.
The PDP chief, in a response to Omar Abdullah’s post on X, termed the call for the revival of the Tulbul navigation project amid the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan as “deeply unfortunate”.
“J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s call to revive the Tulbul Navigation Project amid ongoing tensions between India & Pakistan is deeply unfortunate. At a time when both countries have just stepped back from the brink of a full-fledged war—with Jammu and Kashmir bearing the brunt through the loss of innocent lives, widespread destruction and immense suffering such statements are not only irresponsible but also dangerously provocative,” she said.
Mehbooba Mufti had said the people deserve peace as much as anyone else in the country. “Weaponising something as essential and life giving as water is not only inhumane but also risks internationalizing what should remain a bilateral matter,” she wrote on X.
Earlier, CM Omar, in a post on X, had said, “The Wular lake in North Kashmir. The civil works you see in the video is the Tulbul Navigation Barrage. It was started in the early 1980s but had to be abandoned under pressure from Pakistan citing the Indus Water Treaty. Now that the IWT has been ‘temporarily suspended’ I wonder if we will be able to resume the project.
He added that it will give the advantage of allowing us to use the Jhelum for navigation. “It will also improve the power generation of downstream power projects, especially in winter.”
Reacting to the accusations, the PDP chief has stated that Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah had reversed his stance when he was advocating for accession to Pakistan for over two decades after losing power.
“Time will reveal who seeks to appease whom. However, it’s worth recalling that your esteemed grandfather Sheikh Sahab once advocated for accession to Pakistan for over two decades after losing power. But post being reinstated as Chief Minister he suddenly reversed his stance by aligning with India,” Mehbooba said.
“In contrast the PDP has consistently upheld its convictions & commitments & unlike your party whose loyalties have shifted dramatically according to political expediency . We don’t need to stoke tensions or adopt warmongering rhetoric to validate our dedication. Our actions speak for themselves.”
Omar, however, responded that he will rise above the gutter she wants to take this conversation to by keeping the late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed and “North Pole South Pole” out of this.
“Is that really the best you can do? Taking cheap shots at a person you yourself have called Kashmir’s tallest leader. I’ll rise above the gutter you want to take this conversation to by keeping the late Mufti Sahib and “North Pole South Pole” out of this. You keep advocating the interests of anyone you want to & I’ll keep advocating for the interests of the people of J&K to use our own rivers for our own benefit. I’m not going to stop the water, just use more of it for ourselves. Now I think I’ll do some real work & you can keep posting,” Omar said.
In the meantime, the Chief Minister shared a short media interaction with the PDP Chief in which she had stated that J&K has suffered due to the Indus Water Treaty. “Just leaving this out there because “consistency” is in such short supply,” Omar wrote.
The former chief minister however accused Omar Abdullah of invoking IWT, terming it a reckless ploy to derail the ceasefire. “There’s nothing patriotic about fuelling instability,” she said.
“PDP has consistently called for the return of power projects that NC handed over to NHPC on a platter at a pittance. Even in the PDP-BJP Agenda of Alliance, it was agreed that two projects would be returned to Jammu & Kashmir to compensate for losses from the Indus Waters Treaty. During my meeting with the Prime Minister in 2017 now misrepresented by Times Now the issue of compensation under the IWT was clearly discussed. But let me be clear – We never advocated scrapping the treaty. Such a move could heighten tensions and once again place J&K at the epicenter of conflict. Our resources like water must be used for life, not as weapons. You invoking IWT now is a reckless ploy to derail the ceasefire. There’s nothing patriotic about fueling instability,” Mehbooba said. (KNO)