By Sheikh Imran Bashir, Agence India Press,
Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday lashed out at New Delhi for not consulting his government on various issues.
Speaking in Legislative Assembly here, Omar said that he was never consulted by New Delhi on opening schools in 8-point programme.
Asserting that he was not running a puppet government, Omar said, “We take decisions but always try to do things in consultation.”
“Kashmir is an outstanding issue which needs to be resolved. It is a political issue and cannot be addressed through development, employment or good governance only,” Omar said winding up the two-day debate in the state Assembly on the prevailing law and order situation in Kashmir.
The Chief Minister said one heard slogans like “quit Kashmir” and “go India go” on the streets today.”…but those giving these slogans have to realise, who has left Kashmir. More army and paramilitary forces have come due to the situation over the past three months and the only people to leave are doctors, engineers, students and businessmen,” he said.
‘Ours is accession to India not merger. We have a special constitutional status in the country which should not be ignored,’ the chief minister said.
To buttress his point, he quoted union Home Minister P. Chidambaram who had said Kashmir was a unique problem that needed a unique solution.
According to Agence India Press reporter, Omar said his government has quietly persuaded the Centre to reduce 35,000 troops from the state when the atmosphere was conducive for it. Seeking to downsize the political influence of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Chief Minister said they are not powerful enough to create this situation.”They took advantage of the situation ignited by someone else. The vehicle was started by someone and they (PDP) went for a ride but they don’t have the control over the steering or the brakes,” he said.
The chief minister stressed that the state of Jammu and Kashmir had a special status according to the constitution of the country.
We are also seriously exploring the possibility of revocation of the Armed forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from areas in the state where it is possible. Fifty arrested youth have already been released in the past few days and the meeting to review detentions under the Public Safety Act (PSA) would be held soon.’
He, however, accepted that whatever has been happening in the Valley during the last three months had its roots in the last 20 years.
‘There is a problem in Kashmir which needs to be addressed. The interlocutors to be nominated by the central government must engage in a meaningful result-oriented dialogue with everybody and come here with an open mind and without any predetermined agenda.
“A dialogue should be started immediately between Delhi and Srinagar and also between Delhi and Islamabad to settle all outstanding issues including Kashmir”.
Blaming the Hurriyat Conference headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, he said they were fuelling the situation by issuing protest calendars.”Our effort is to improve the situation step by step but till these calendars are there, the danger will remain. It should stop now,” he said.
The Chief Minister said unfortunately an impression has been created among the people here that the Kashmir issue is forgotten during peace times and the talk about resolution starts when things begin to go wrong.”For God’s sake, don’t let it happen this time. 110 sacrifices and injuries to brave policemen and army soldiers have brought the issue to the front burner … lets keep it there till the day we find an acceptable solution to the issue,” he said.
According to the chief minister, about ‘30,000 businessmen, students and doctors have left the Valley because of the three-month-long unrest here. Train services in the Valley have also remained suspended for the last three months because of the agitation started by the separatists’.
He also declared that he would give up politics for ever if someone could convince him that it would help restore normalcy.
‘The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has been saying that the ground situation would improve if a change of guard takes place in the state. If someone is able to convince me that by giving up power normalcy would return, I am prepared not only to give up the chair, but also say goodbye to politics for ever. The PDP is mistaken in their notion,’ Abdullah asserted.
‘Since 2008, when the Amarnath Shrine Board land row agitation was started by the separatists here, protests have always meant stone pelting by the youth. The prevailing situation in the Valley is because of the separatist protest calendars and March calls’ and they are responsible for the situation here,’ Abdullah said in the assembly.