By IANS,
Jammu: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Thursday evening took on his critics and claimed that under his rule Jammu and Kashmir was marching toward progress and prosperity.
Replying to a debate on the motion of thanks on the governor’s address to the joint sitting of the two houses of the state legislature tabled on Monday, Omar took point by point all the issues in the assembly Thursday evening and told the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party not to “rake up non-issues”.
Omar claimed that under his rule, a new phase of development has begun in Jammu and Kashmir – unprecedented road network, construction of infrastructure, jobs for the unemployed and an overall atmosphere of safety, despite “a huge amount of difficulties”.
The chief minister referred to each and every development that took place during the 14 months of his rule and the “negative role” of the opposition, especially the PDP.
“The PDP should look into the period when it ruled the state, the civilians were getting killed like anything, there were more than 2,200 civilian deaths and 38 cases of rape,” he said and asked, “What kind of record is the PDP talking about?”
Earlier, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, also PDP legislature party leader, staged a walkout alleging that the government had failed on all fronts.
Omar said the PDP didn’t have the stamina to listen to the other side of the story. “It is spreading falsehoods and when facts are presented, it stages a walkout.”
“Is this the democratic spirit?”, he asked.
The chief minister said his government was for all-inclusive development and also for the development and progress of all the three regions.